Former Rep. Matt Gaetz has ended his bid to be Donald Trump’s attorney general, he announced on Thursday afternoon.
I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback - and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024
From the moment Trump announced Gaetz as his pick last Wednesday, the nomination was met with a swift rebuke from Democrats — and some Republicans — over ongoing investigations into misconduct.
Gaetz has been under scrutiny since late 2020, when the Department of Justice started investigating claims that he had paid to have sex with a 17-year-old girl and trafficked her across state lines. The DOJ ultimately declined to prosecute, but the House Ethics Committee investigation into Gaetz remains ongoing.