Matt Gaetz steps down as Donald Trump’s attorney general – DW – 11/21/2024

Matt Gaetz, who had been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be attorney general of the United States, withdrew from the selection process on Thursday after widespread opposition, including from his own Republican Party.

“While the momentum has been strong, it is clear that my confirmation has unfairly become a distraction for the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition,” Gaetz told X.

The former Florida congressman, who was nominated last week, has faced questions about his fitness to serve as the country’s law enforcement officer and his past conduct.

Gaetz was investigated by the Justice Department for nearly three years for possible sex-trafficking violations in an investigation that ended last year without charges.

The 42-year-old also faced a lengthy investigation by a congressional ethics committee into possible sexual misconduct and drug use, but resigned from his seat in the House of Representatives last week , which would usually mark the end of a congressional investigation into the matter.

Gaetz denied all the claims he faced, but said in his statement to X that he hoped to avoid an “unnecessarily protracted fight in Washington.”

Republicans on Wednesday declined to release the House Ethics Committee’s findings over Democrats’ objections in a split vote.

Trump is eagerly awaiting Gaetz’s next move

Reacting to the news, Trump took to his Truth social network to say he was looking forward to seeing what Gaetz would do next after he retires.

“He was doing very well, but at the same time, he didn’t want to be a distraction to the Administration, which he has a lot of respect for,” Trump posted. “Matt has a great future and I look forward to watching all the great things he does!”

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trump’s top Senate supporters, also threw his support behind Gaetz, telling X that he believes the former congressman “will continue to contribute to the well-being of our nation for years to come.”

Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, added that he looks forward to working with Trump “on future nominees to get this important job up and running.”

km/kb (AFP, Reuters, AP)