Matt Gaetz drops bid for Trump attorney general in face of Senate opposition

Former US Representative Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general on Thursday, saying his confirmation was becoming a distraction.

“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,” Gaetz, a Republican, wrote in a post on X. “Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”

The announcement came a day after the House Ethics Committee deadlocked on releasing a report into allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use by Gaetz, and after he met with Republican senators whose support would be needed to become attorney general.

Gaetz, who was nominated last week, faced questions over his qualifications to serve as the country’s top law enforcement official and his past conduct. He was investigated by the Justice Department for nearly three years into potential sex trafficking violations, a probe that ended last year without charges being brought.

Some Republican senators expressed misgivings about his nomination, though none had said publicly they would outright oppose him.

Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis said Gaetz’s decision would give Trump the opportunity to nominate an attorney general “with fewer headwinds in the Senate.”