Donald Trump has dropped a political bombshell by announcing his plan to nominate the firebrand Representative Matt Gaetz, as the Attorney General of the United States, placing a staunch ally in the role of the nation’s top prosecutor. Florida Congressman Gaetz, 42, is currently under an ethics investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use, making him a contentious and unpredictable choice that has sent shockwaves through Washington’s corridors of power.
Gaetz’s steadfast support for Trump appears to be a key factor in his nomination, with other die-hard loyalists like Fox News personality Pete Hesgeth being appointed as Defence Secretary. “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” proclaimed President-Elect Trump.
The choice has raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill considering Gaetz’s record of stridently opposing the Department of Justice for its probes into Trump, including four separate criminal indictments, two at the federal level. Facing his own series of investigations – from accusations of sex trafficking in Florida, which were subsequently dropped, to his involvement in the January 6 insurrection in 2021, where Trump’s followers attempted to disrupt the transfer of presidential power – the 42-year-old Congressman is a controversial pick for a top job.
He has consistently criticised special counsel Jack Smith over the cases against President-elect Trump, demanding the case’s dismissal. Gaetz, a lawyer himself, is one of the most fervent MAGA supporters in Congress, forming part of a Republican group that has proved damaging to the party’s slim majority in the US’ lower chamber.
Notably, Gaetz led the campaign to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023, using a small group of die-hard MAGA Republicans to push the party’s leadership toward Trump. The schemes not only drew a flood of criticism towards Gaetz from within the party but also added another layer of controversy to Trump’s post-election cabinet choices, given Gaetz is also under a House Ethics Committee investigation, reports the Mirror.
However, before Representative Gaetz can rise to the top of the US legal system, he will have to be approved by a majority of the US Senate – which President-elect Trump also won in his shock election victory.
Ohio Representative Max Miller told Politico that Trump’s choice of Gaetz was “a reckless pick.”
With his track record and legal troubles, the Republican was scathing, saying: “I think he has a zero percent shot of getting through the Senate.”
