Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general Thursday, marking the first significant setback for the incoming administration’s cabinet selections amid growing concerns about the former congressman’s confirmability due to a federal sex trafficking investigation.
The Florida Republican’s decision came just one day after meeting with senators in an attempt to secure support for his nomination to lead the Department of Justice. The withdrawal represents a notable stumble in Trump’s efforts to install loyal allies in key administration positions.
“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. “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.”
The sudden withdrawal suggests potential resistance from within Republican ranks to Trump’s cabinet selections, marking the first indication that the president-elect could face challenges from his own party in staffing his administration.
