The split comes just eight days after US President-elect Donald Trump announced his nomination of Congressman Matt Gaetz for Attorney General. As reported by BBC News, Gaetz has withdrawn from consideration, surprising Washington and the Justice Department.
Getz’s unexpected nomination
The nomination, which stunned both Republicans and Democrats, came after a chance decision by Trump during a two-hour flight from Washington to Florida. According to reports, Gaetz wasn’t even on the radar until Trump began reconsidering his options after a meeting with President Joe Biden. That afternoon, Gaetz was not on the shortlist, but the president-elect was frustrated by the other candidates. .
Board Trump Force One consisted of Gaetz, Elon Musk, incoming White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Trump’s legal counsel Boris Epstein. Reports say Epstein persuaded Trump to pick Gaetz to lead the Justice Department despite Gaetz being part of a past sex-trafficking investigation. Gaetz also helped Trump prepare for his key debate with Joe Biden, who played a big role in securing the presidency.
Critics condemn Getz
Reaction to the nomination was swift. While some Republicans expressed mild support, many career lawyers at the Justice Department were outraged, especially after Gaetz suggested eliminating the department and its agencies. Critics warned that Trump was more interested in appointing loyalists than upholding the rule of law. Former Trump adviser John Bolton called Gaetz “the worst cabinet-level appointment in history,” Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., said the criticism showed his father’s choice was the change voters wanted.
Getz withdraws
Gaetz, 42, resigned from his seat in Florida’s 1st District as the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to release a report on allegations of misconduct. He denied the allegations, calling them a ‘smear’.
The confirmation process began to resemble a political battleground, with Trump calling senators in an attempt to rally support. Despite some encouragement, by Thursday morning, Gaetz realized he was running out of votes. In an announcement, Gaetz backtracked, claiming his confirmation became a “distraction in the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition.”
Trump’s move to Palm Bondi
Hours after Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump nominated former Florida attorney general and veteran prosecutor Pam Bondi as his new pick for the role. Trump thanked Gaetz for his efforts and suggested that his political future is still promising. Despite the setback, Gaetz was comfortably re-elected to Congress earlier this month, but a special election will be held to fill his vacant seat.
Randy Ross, a Florida-based fundraiser for Trump, believes Gaetz’s story is far from over. “There is still a place for this patriot in Trump’s administration, in Florida or in the future leadership of our country,” he said.
Getz’s wife, Ginger, shared a touching post on X, sharing an old photo of them on the steps of Capitol Hill, writing, “The end of an era.”