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The far-right Florida congressman has been the subject of several federal investigations.
In a shocking announcement, President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, a far-right Florida lawmaker with little prosecutorial experience and a history of legal controversies, to serve as U.S. Attorney General. Gaetz, known for his fierce loyalty to Trump and outspoken ultraconservative views, is a polarizing choice, raising immediate concerns across Washington, D.C. Late Wednesday, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Gaetz had resigned from Congress “effective immediately.”
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The nomination, announced by Trump on his Truth Social platform, praised Gaetz as a “tenacious attorney” who would bring reform to a “weaponized” Department of Justice. Trump highlighted Gaetz’s role in challenging investigations into Trump’s presidency as part of his qualifications, though Gaetz’s experience in criminal law is limited to a brief stint in private practice. He has never served as a prosecutor and has himself been the subject of legal scrutiny, including a 2008 arrest for driving under the influence, which was later dropped. More recently, the Department of Justice investigated him as part of a sex trafficking probe, but he was not charged.
Gaetz, aboard Trump’s private plane, as it landed in West Palm Beach, Florida, following a day of meetings in Washington, expressed his excitement over the nomination, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”
Serious allegations have clouded the Florida congressman’s record. Gaetz was under investigation by the Department of Justice for allegedly engaging in sexual contact with at least one minor, though federal prosecutors ultimately declined to bring charges against him. The House Ethics Committee continues to investigate the matter, along with other misconduct allegations, which Gaetz has repeatedly denied, calling them politically motivated attacks.
Gaetz has stirred controversy for perpetuating debunked claims. In remarks to The Advocate this fall, Gaetz supported a false claim by Trump that children were receiving gender-affirming surgeries in schools. When questioned by The Advocate after the Philadelphia presidential debate in September, Gaetz sidestepped the inaccuracy and instead emphasized what he called “parental rights,” echoing far-right messaging on issues surrounding LGBTQ+ youth.
Human Rights Campaign national press secretary Brandon Wolf criticized Trump’s pick in a statement to The Advocate.
“The Attorney General must represent the United States not act as the president’s personal attorney, in addition to upholding the rule of law, fighting for justice for all, and working to keep the American people safe,” Wolf wrote. “In nominating accused sexual predator and known conspiracy theorist Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump is making it clear that he intends to subvert the Department of Justice and weaponize the agency against people he deems as less than. Matt Gaetz is unqualified to be Attorney General — both ethically and professionally. The nation deserves better than these nakedly political nominations who threaten the safety and freedom of the American people. The Senate must reject this nomination.”
Gaetz’s confirmation process is likely to be one of the most contentious in recent history, with Senate Democrats and some Republicans likely to raise concerns over his qualifications and past controversies.
On Wednesday evening, Johnson told reporters that he believed Gaetz to be “intelligent” and “a reformer” and said that Republicans were caught off guard by his immediate resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives.
The nomination aligns with Trump’s post-election push to fill top positions with loyalists who support his vision of reducing federal influence over state governance and limiting the scope of federal enforcement.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to include news of Matt Gaetz’s resignation.
