Former President Donald Trump announced on social media on Wednesday that he will nominate Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general, potentially handing over control of the Justice Department to one of his most fervent and outspoken supporters.

Gaetz resigned from Congress Wednesday, ending an ethics probe into allegations of sex trafficking, sexual misconduct and drug use. 

What You Need To Know

  • President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general
  • Gaetz resigned from Congress Wednesday, ending an ethics probe into allegations of sex trafficking, sexual misconduct and drug use
  • Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and the Justice Department ended its own sex trafficking investigation without bringing charges against him

  • Gaetz represented much of the Florida Panhandle and became a conservative star when he joined Congress, appearing as a frequent staunch defender of Trump on cable news

  • The role of the Justice Department under a second Trump administration will no doubt be a prominent one, with the president-elect having vowed on the campaign trail to end the federal criminal cases against him, as well as issue pardons to those who were convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol

In a post on his social media platform, Trump called the Florida lawmaker, who is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations that he "engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use," a "Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law."

"Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System," Trump said. "Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department."

The role of the Justice Department under a second Trump administration will no doubt be a prominent one, with the president-elect having vowed on the campaign trail to end the federal criminal cases against him, as well as issue pardons to those who were convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Gaetz irked fellow GOP members in early 2023 when he filed the resolution that successfully ousted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy then helped fund a primary challenge to Gaetz that included commercials alleging that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old, an allegation that was being investigated by the House Ethics Committee until his resignation on Wednesday. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and the Justice Department ended its own sex trafficking investigation without bringing charges against him.

He submitted his resignation from Congress, effective immediately, launching an eight-week clock to fill his seat, House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Wednesday night, possibly in time for the start of the new Congress on Jan. 3.

Johnson framed the stunning move by Gaetz to resign early and before confirmation as a way to help the majority fill his vacancy much quicker than if he were to wait until his Senate confirmation as attorney general.

But the decision and timing he chose to immediately step down raise concerns about the impending, years-long ethics probe into the Florida Republican, which was expected by many, including Gaetz, to be wrapped up by the end of the year. By stepping down, the bipartisan panel no longer has jurisdiction over Gaetz, deeming the probe and the subsequent report effectively dead.

Trump also announced Wednesday that he had tapped Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state. And he selected Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic member of Congress and presidential candidate, to serve as his director of national intelligence.

The choices continued a pattern of Trump stocking his Cabinet with loyalists he believes he can trust to execute his agenda rather than longtime officials with experience in their fields. Gaetz's selection, in particular, was seen as a shock. The Florida lawmaker was not among the more established attorneys who had been mentioned as contenders for the job, and even his colleagues in Congress appeared stunned by the news.

“Everybody was saying, ‘Oh my God,’" said Republican Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho. “That was about as big a surprise as I’ve had in a long time."

Gaetz represented much of the Florida Panhandle and became a conservative star when he joined Congress, appearing as a frequent staunch defender of Trump on cable news.

Inside a private meeting of House Republicans, GOP lawmakers first thought the news was a joke before realizing Trump had indeed named Gaetz to serve as the nation's chief law officer.

GOP Rep. Max Miller told reporters the shock in the room was more a reflection of members' happiness that the Florida Republican will no longer be a member of the chamber after years of instigating interparty battles.

Even Trump’s allies in the Senate were keeping their distance.

“We’ll see,” said Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin when asked whether he would vote to confirm the congressman.

Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, suggested that the Senate would look closely into Gaetz, including the House Ethics Committee investigation.

“I’m sure it will make for a popcorn-eating confirmation hearing,” said GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who serves on the committee that will take up the Gaetz nomination, said it would be "the first test of whether Republicans are willing to stand up to Donald Trump and go with conscience and conviction as opposed to just politics.”