Donald Trump names Matt Gaetz as his pick for U.S. Attorney General
President-elect Donald Trump announced on his social media website Truth Social on Wednesday he is tapping Rep. Matt Gaetz as U.S. Attorney General, sending shockwaves through Washington D.C.
"It is my Great Honor to announce that Congressman Matt Gaetz, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The Attorney General of the United States," Trump said.
Gaetz reposted Trump's announcement on his own X account.
"It will be an honor to serve as President Trump's Attorney General," Gaetz said.
Within hours, Gaetz resigned from Congress.
"He issued his resignation letter effective immediately from Congress," House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a press conference Wednesday night. "That caught us by surprise a little bit."
Trump named Gaetz after selecting Sen. Marco Rubio to head to the State Department.
"Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department," Trump said.
Before the announcement on Wednesday, Gaetz said on his office's X account that Congress should mount a "full court press against this weaponized government."
"And if that means abolishing every one of the three-letter agencies, from the FBI to the ATF, I'm ready to get going," Gaetz said.
Gaetz now may find himself leading the department that oversees most of those three-letter agencies.
Trump AG nominee Gaetz was probed in sex trafficking investigation
Before Gaetz can take the office, he'll have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Gaetz will likely face tough questions on allegations he faced in 2022 of sex trafficking. In February 2023, the DOJ ended the investigation without charging Gaetz.
Gaetz has vehemently denied the allegations but is still facing a probe by the House Ethics Committee as a part of an ongoing investigation that includes allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.
According to multiple media outlets, the probe centers around allegations that he had sexual relations with a minor and paid for her travel after he was allegedly introduced to her by Joel Greenberg, a one-time friend who is serving an 11-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to sex trafficking in 2022.
In a letter to the House Ethics Committee in September, Gaetz refuted the allegations and said that the Department of Justice was responsible for the initial leak of the allegations against him to the New York Times.
In the letter, Gaetz also said that the "Biden Justice Department loathes me."
"I believe the Biden Justice Department leaked to the New York Times in 2021 to impact the behavior and testimony of witnesses," Gaetz wrote. "My basis for this belief is a recording of Joel Greenberg from prison wherein he claims the DOJ told him that the New York Times piece put him in 'golden position.'"
By resigning his Congressional seat, it likely ends any further inquiry from a House Ethics probe into allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Gaetz has vehemently denied the accusation and has publicly blamed the Department of Justice for leaking the allegations to the press, a department he will lead if his appointment is confirmed by the Senate.
Rep. Michael Guest, R-Mississippi, chairman of the House Ethics Committee, told reporters before Gaetz's resignation that any congressional ethics inquiries into Gaetz would end if the Senate confirms him and he resigns from Congress, the New York Times reported.
The committee could still release a report on its probe.
Democrats - and some Republicans - reject Gaetz as Attorney General choice
Democrats have already come out against Gaetz's nomination.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said the pick was "beyond catastrophic" for the country.
"This is what it looks like to Make America Florida — and it’s a living nightmare," Fried said.
At Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said he was “speechless” over Trump's decision to nominate Gaetz.
"I look forward to the confirmation hearings, to hearing their views and reviewing their qualifications and considering," Coons said.
Gaetz may have tough time with Senate Republicans as well.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said that senators will have a responsibility to seriously consider Matt Gaetz and any other nominees from President-elect Trump.
“I assume we’ll have some questions for him,” Cornyn told reporters Wednesday.
Asked about the House Ethics Committee's investigation into Gaetz for sexual misconduct, Cornyn said, “Well, that might come up,”
“I don’t know whether there’s any basis to it or not,” Cornyn said. “So I’m sure we’ll be asking a lot of questions.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told reporters the choice lacked seriousness, according to media reports.
“I don’t think it’s a serious nomination for attorney general. We need to have a serious attorney general,” Murkowski said. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to consider somebody that is serious.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, said on Fox Business cable channel that any Republican who doesn't back Gaetz would face a primary challenge.
"Vote with President Trump. This is the last chance we have at saving this country," Tuberville said. "If you want to get in the way, fine, but we're going to try to get you out of the Senate, too, if you try to do that."
What happens to Gaetz's seat in Congress?
Johnson said Gaetz's abrupt resignation allowed for a faster special election in Northwest Florida to replace him and shore up the thin Republican majority in the House.
"If you start the clock now, if you do the math, we may be able to fill that seat as early as Jan. 3 when we take the new oath of office for the new Congress," Johnson said.
Florida's 1st Congressional District is considered to be a safe Republican seat. Gaetz has easily been able to win re-election from the seat in two elections despite becoming a nationally controversial figure. But with an open seat, it'll likely be hotly contested among Northwest Florida Republicans. The last time the seat was open in 2016, Gaetz emerged as the winner out of a field of six other candidates in the Republican primary.
State Rep. Michelle Salzman, R-Pensacola, already made a public statement saying she was considering running after receiving phone calls and texts from people she respects encouraging her to run.
"I am going to weigh my options and seriously consider it," Salzman said. "I love representing Northwest Florida and getting things done. It is an honor serve as a State Representative, so I am already doing what I love to do."
The Paste BN network contributed to this report.