Matt Gaetz Withdraws as Nominee for Attorney General

Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz announced on Thursday that he is withdrawing his nomination to serve as the attorney general in the upcoming Trump administration. This decision comes just a week after President-elect Donald Trump nominated Gaetz for the position.

Gaetz made the announcement via social media, citing that his confirmation process was becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. “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 Transition,” he stated.

Gaetz emphasized his commitment to supporting President Trump and ensuring the success of his administration. “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. I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history,” he wrote.

This withdrawal is seen as a significant setback for conservatives who had hoped Gaetz would bring about substantial changes to the Department of Justice.