Matt Gaetz stepped down on Thursday as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid ongoing scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that raised doubts about his confirmation prospects as the country’s top law enforcement official.
The abrupt withdrawal is a setback to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration, but also a recognition of the resistance the Republican is already encountering from members of his own party to picks with checkered backgrounds.
By bowing out, Gaetz averts what was shaping up to be a pitched confirmation battle that would have tested how far Senate Republicans were willing to go to confirm Trump's Cabinet selections.
The Florida Republican's announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department.
"While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition," Gaetz said in a statement announcing his decision.
"There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1."
Trump, in a social media post, said: "I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect."
"Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!"
Gaetz's announcement came days after an attorney for two women said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman.
One of the women testified she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in Florida in 2017, according to the attorney, Joel Leppard. Leppard has said that his client testified she didn't think Gaetz knew the girl was underage, stopped their relationship when he found out and did not resume it until after she turned 18. The age of consent in Florida is 18.
Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that the Justice Department's investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him.
Gaetz's political future is uncertain, at the moment.
He had abruptly resigned his congressional seat upon being selected to be as attorney general. That move was seen as a way to shut down the ethics investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
Republicans on the committee declined this week to release its findings over objections from Democrats in a split vote. But the committee did agree to finish its work and is scheduled to meet again on Dec. 5 to discuss the matter.
Gaetz did win reelection in November for the new Congress, which convenes Jan. 3, 2025. But it's unclear whether he would take office. There are plans for a special election in Florida for his seat.
