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The Chaotic Scene When Senators Learned Trump Nominated Matt Gaetz for Attorney General

“This one was not on my bingo card,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski told reporters.

Matt Gaetz AP-24060777389776
Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via AP

The news that Donald Trump was nominating Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general was perfectly timed in one respect: getting reaction from senators.

Minutes after Trump made his announcement, senators were emerging from an afternoon vote series — just in time for reporters to inform these senators of Trump’s decision.

The reaction, in a word, was stunned.