Matt Gaetz withdrew Thursday as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general amid ongoing scrutiny of a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on the former congressman’s ability to be confirmed as the nation’s top federal law enforcement official.
The Florida Republican’s announcement came a day after he met with senators to gain their support for his confirmation as Justice Department chairman.
“While momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation unfairly became a distraction from the important work of the Trump/Vance transition,” Gaetz said in a statement announcing his decision. “We cannot waste time on an unnecessarily protracted melee in Washington, so I will be withdrawing my name as attorney general. Trump’s DOJ needs to be on the ground and ready on day one.”
Gaetz’s withdrawal is a setback to Trump’s efforts to win staunch supporters in his new administration and the first sign that Trump may face resistance from members of his own party.
The former Florida lawmaker resigned from Congress earlier this month, effectively ending an ethics investigation into allegations of sex trafficking, sexual misconduct and drug use after Trump picked him as attorney general. The election sparked concerns among Democrats and Republicans. The latter did not seem to unite behind the Trump loyalist.