What to know about Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s pick to serve as attorney general
In electing Rep. Matt Gaetz such as his nominee for attorney general, newly elected President Donald Trump looking for a fierce loyalist which is seen as divisive even within his own party.
Not one of the top names seen as a likely choice for the job, Gaetz’s selection was first pushed on Trump’s social media network rather than a more formal announcement from his transition team, as with most of his picks.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Gaetz resigned from Congress on Wednesday, meaning the House Ethics Committee’s ongoing investigation into allegations against Gaetz of child sex trafficking ends and no report is issued.
Here are some things to know about Gaetz.
The House Ethics Committee had been investigating allegations that Gaetz was part of a scheme that led to the sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl, an investigation that ended Wednesday with Gaetz’s resignation from the House of Representatives.
In June, the committee provided an unusual public update on its investigation, which it said included questions about whether Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use, accepted inappropriate gifts and tried to obstruct government investigations into his conduct.
The committee announced it was no longer investigating four other allegations involving the congressman, including that he shared inappropriate images or videos with colleagues in the House of Representatives, or that he accepted bribes or used campaign funds for personal use.
Gaetz has categorically denied all allegations, blaming former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a longtime nemesis, even though the investigation began before McCarthy and Republicans won the House majority.
In 2023, the Justice Department ended a sex trafficking investigation without charges against Gaetz.
Gaetz, 42, just won his fifth term and represents much of the Florida Panhandle. He is a frequent defender of Trump on cable news.
He traveled to New York earlier this year when Trump was on trial in his hush money case. He shared a photo of himself and other Republicans in Congress supporting Trump. His caption the language repeated Trump once addressed the extremist Proud Boys: “Take a step back and stay with it, Mr. President.”
During Trump’s June debate with President Joe Biden, Gaetz took center stage in the spin room, discussing Trump’s successes. After Biden’s departure from the race, Gaetz was among those who helped Trump prepare for his subsequent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, in which the former president made false claims about Haitian migrants eating people’s pets and other animals – claims that Gaetz, among others: had spread online.
Just hours before Trump announced his nomination, Gaetz wrote a post on
“We should have a full legal press against this ARMED government that has turned against our people,” Gaetz said. “And if that means abolishing all the three-letter agencies, from the FBI to the ATF, then I’m ready to get to work!”
If Gaetz is appointed attorney general, he would oversee both agencies.
Gaetz has been a staunch defender of Trump but has at times irked fellow Republicans, including during last year’s leadership debate in the House chamber.
In early 2023, Gaetz was among a group of far-right conservatives who opposed McCarthy’s bid for the House speakership, forcing McCarthy to wait 15 rounds of voting before earning the spot. And it was Gaetz who did that organized the vote that ultimately led to the ouster of McCarthy.
McCarthy has accused Gaetz of pushing him out to stop the ethics complaint against him.
Gaetz’s resignation from the House of Representatives triggers a special election for his seat in the House of Representatives – Florida’s first congressional district – which has been under Republican control for nearly three decades.
Gaetz graduated from William & Mary Law School in 2007, after which he went to work for a firm in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
The Florida Bar briefly suspended his license in 2021 due to unpaid dues, but the association’s website listed him as a member in good standing on Wednesday.
Most Republicans dodged direct answers about whether they supported the new president’s choice. The Republican Party will have a 53-seat majority in the new Senate and could rely on newly elected Vice President J.D. Vance to break the 50-50 tie, allowing for a handful of defections.
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he did not know Gaetz “other than his public persona, so we will treat it like any other nomination.”
“I’m not going to prejudge any of these things,” Cornyn said, suggesting the Senate would closely scrutinize the House Ethics Committee investigation.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, also a member of the Judiciary Committee, called Gaetz “a smart, smart guy,” but stated that “he’s going to have to answer some tough questions at the hearing, and we’ll see how he does that. ”
Senator Susan Collins of Maine, one of Trump’s few Republican critics in Congress, said she was shocked to hear of Gaetz’s nomination, adding: “I’m sure that during the House hearing Mr. Gaetz, many questions will arise if the nomination goes ahead.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, another Trump critic, said Gaetz was not a serious candidate “as far as I’m concerned.”
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, appeared to express doubts about the nomination, saying Gaetz will “have his work cut out for him” to win enough votes for confirmation.
“I’m sure it will result in a confirmation hearing for eating popcorn,” Tillis said.
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Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Stephen Groves and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington, and Michelle L. Price in West Palm Beach, Florida, contributed.
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Kinnard reported from Columbia, South Carolina, and can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP.