Donald Trump Has Plenty of Other Allies Who Can Wage His Legal Wars for Him

Matt Gaetz won’t be attorney general, but Senate Republicans have faith Trump will pick someone just as loyal.

Matt Gaetz
In interviews with NOTUS, members expressed confidence that they’ll support whoever comes next. Andrew Harnik/AP

Matt Gaetz is out of the running for attorney general — but Donald Trump has plenty of other allies willing to fight his battles at the Justice Department.

Trump’s next pick for the role might not be facing sex trafficking accusations like Gaetz was, a detail that made it impossible for him to win enough support among Republican senators to be confirmed. GOP lawmakers, however, expect the new nominee to be just as aggressive as Gaetz, who is a frequent critic of the “deep state” and one of Trump’s most loyal supporters.

“The president will pick somebody equally as tenacious and equally as committed to cleaning up the DOJ and rooting out politicization,” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul told reporters on Thursday.