Graphic: Intelligencer; Photo: Getty
Who: Matt Gaetz was a U.S. representative from Florida who served from 2017 until he resigned from Congress on November 13, 2024, hours after Trump announced his nomination for AG.
Qualifications, According to Trump: In a pair of Truth Social posts, Trump called Gaetz a “deeply gifted and tenacious attorney.” He continued:
Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department. On the House Judiciary Committee, which performs oversight of DOJ, Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization. He is a Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law …
… Matt will root out the systemic corruption at DOJ, and return the Department to its true mission of fighting Crime, and upholding our Democracy and Constitution. We must have Honesty, Integrity, and Transparency at DOJ. Under Matt’s leadership, all Americans will be proud of the Department of Justice once again.
Requires Confirmation: Yes.
Potential Issues: Gaetz only practiced law for two years, but that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. If confirmed, he’d be leading a department that recently investigated him for sex trafficking; the Justice Department inquiry concluded in 2022 with no charges. But the House Ethics Committee was still investigating allegations that Gaetz “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use,” among other things. The committee was set to release a “highly critical report” about Gaetz, but Republicans may bury it. Suffice it to say, he may be the Trump pick least likely to be confirmed.
