Outspoken Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination for attorney general on Thursday afternoon, writing, "There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle."
"I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General," Gaetz wrote on X. "Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1."
Gaetz’s withdrawal comes as questions swirl around the contents of a House investigation into alleged sex-and-drug-fueled parties he attended several years ago. Attorneys for one woman, who has not been named, allege Gaetz had sex with her when she was 17 years old. The Department of Justice closed a sex trafficking investigation into Gaetz last year without charges.
"I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "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. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!"
Gaetz’s decision to withdraw is likely a relief for many Republican senators who were dreading his confirmation hearing. Republicans who otherwise support the incoming president’s agenda viewed Gaetz as far too controversial for the job as the nation’s top law enforcement officer.
"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 his X statement.
Some Republicans balked at the choice of Gaetz, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska), who said he was "not a serious candidate." Republicans will control 53 seats in the Senate next year, leaving Trump’s nominees only able to lose a few GOP votes.
The House Ethics Committee voted against releasing the contents of its investigation into Gaetz on Wednesday. The contents of the report were expected to leak by the time his confirmation hearings began in the Senate.
Some of the contents already did. The New York Times reported that two women testified they were paid to have sex with Gaetz, including when one was underage. The age of consent in Florida, where the incident allegedly occurred, is 18.
Gaetz, who holds a law degree from William & Mary, is not an experienced attorney. The pick reflected Trump’s preference for individuals who will remain loyal and will rid the Justice Department of staff who may have differing or hostile political agendas.
Gaetz has been one of Trump’s fiercest defenders in the House, to which he was first elected in 2016. He resigned from his seat after receiving the nomination, although he could still return to the chamber next year after winning reelection in November.
Gaetz’s pugnacious style also earned him few friends and many enemies during his brief time on the Hill. He led the Republican revolt last year against then-speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) and against military aid to Israel last April.
"Look, Gaetz won’t get confirmed," McCarthy said earlier this month. "Everybody knows that."