Matt Gaetz Withdraws From Trump Attorney General Consideration

‘My confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump administration,’ Gaetz states.

Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz announced on Thursday that he is withdrawing himself from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for U.S. attorney general.

“My confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump administration,” Gaetz wrote in a statement posted on the social media platform X.

Gaetz mentioned that he had met with senators the previous day and had received “thoughtful feedback” and “incredible support” from many of them.

However, Gaetz had been under intense scrutiny from congressional, federal, and media sources over allegations that would have complicated his confirmation as the nation’s top federal prosecutor.

In April 2021, the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into allegations against Gaetz, including sexual misconduct, illegal drug use, inappropriate sharing of images or videos on the House floor, misuse of state identification records, personal use of campaign funds, and bribery, as reported.

The committee announced on Wednesday that it would not release the final report at this time.