Former Florida representative Matt Gaetz, who was nominated by Trump for Attorney General, announced on Thursday that he is stepping down from the nomination. He cited the “distraction” caused by allegations of paying underage women for sex as the reason for his withdrawal.
Gaetz said, “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition.
“There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”
The announcement follows a storm of allegations against Gaetz, who had been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for months before resigning from the current congressional session last Wednesday.
The panel had subpoenaed Gaetz as recently as September for an ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct with a minor. In response, Gaetz informed the panel that he would “no longer voluntarily participate” in their probe.
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Gaetz’s decision to withdraw eight days after his nomination now leaves the attorney general position vacant—a role for which Trump had been considering a diverse list of candidates, including former DOJ officials, members of Congress, and other prominent figures.
Among those on the shortlist were former White House attorney Mark Paoletta, who served as counsel to then-Vice President Mike Pence and the Office of Management and Budget during Trump’s first term, and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who was appointed in 2022 after then-state Attorney General Eric Schmitt was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Since taking over as state Attorney General, Bailey has spearheaded numerous lawsuits against the Biden administration and championed various conservative causes.
Loyalty was the common thread among all the candidates, a trait for which Trump commended Gaetz during his nomination.
Trump confirmed the news on Truth Social Thursday afternoon. “I greatly appreciate Matt Gaetz’s recent efforts in seeking approval to be Attorney General,” the president-elect stated.
“He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump added. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will achieve.”
Why Trump Picked Gaetz
In a Truth Social post announcing Gaetz’s nomination, Trump praised Gaetz for his dedication to achieving much-needed reform at the Department of Justice.
Regardless of who Trump selects, “He’s going to want someone who he knows, likes, and trusts,” former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker told Fox News earlier this month. “He’s going to want someone who was there from the beginning.”
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The House Ethics Committee reached an impasse on Tuesday over whether to release their report on their investigation into the former congressman, which began following a Justice Department probe in 2021 related to sex trafficking allegations.
The DOJ did not press charges, and Gaetz’s attorneys announced in 2023 that the Justice Department had dropped the investigation.
“We have just spoken with the DOJ and have been informed that they have concluded their investigation into Congressman Gaetz and allegations related to sex trafficking and obstruction of justice, and they have determined not to bring any charges against him,” Gaetz’s attorney Marc Mukasey and Isabelle Kirshner said in a statement last February.
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