In the week since his second presidential election, Donald Trump has rewarded those who have been loyal to him with promises of top positions in his second administration, a dynamic that reached a new level on Wednesday when the president-elect announced that Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz would be his nominee for Attorney General.
Most candidates to lead the Justice Department spend years practicing law or serving as a federal prosecutor or federal judge before their appointment. But Gaetz, 42, was a practicing lawyer for just two years before becoming a lawmaker. More unprecedented than that, however, is the ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation into Gaetz. In June, the committee confirmed that it is still investigating allegations that Gaetz “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.” Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing in that probe. He also denied wrongdoing related to the Justice Department inquiry into allegations that he trafficked a minor across state lines, a probe that concluded in 2022 without any charges against him — in part because of credibility issues with two core witnesses.
In his announcement, Trump vowed that his nominee will help secure his second-term agenda, while thanking Gaetz for his staunch support during his first. “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization. He is a Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law.”
There is a question of Gaetz actually getting into Main Justice, however. Senate Republicans — already concerned with the nominations of Fox News host Pete Hegseth and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence — may not be keen to appoint a representative known for being extremely disliked among his colleagues. “He’s got his work cut out for him,” Republican senator Thom Tillis told reporters.
