Former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz has withdrawn from consideration for the position of Attorney General, he announced on Thursday.
“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,” Gaetz wrote in a post on the X social media platform.
“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,” he wrote.
The announcement comes just one week after President-elect Donald Trump nominated Gaetz as his choice to lead the Department of Justice. Gaetz quickly resigned his seat in Congress, where he represented Florida’s 1st Congressional District, after Trump made him AG-designate.
Trump took to Truth Social to praise Gaetz, saying that he greatly appreciated the efforts Gaetz had made in seeking to become the next Attorney General.
“He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump wrote. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”
Gaetz was the subject of an unreleased House Ethics report related to alleged misconduct, after an investigation led by House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest (R–Miss.). The Department of Justice had previously investigated Gaetz under AG Merrick Garland, but they ended their investigation last year without bringing criminal charges.
“I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history,” Gaetz wrote on X. “I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”