Attorney General Nominee Selected by Trump Withdraws
Matt Gaetz has decided to withdraw his pursuit of the position to lead the Department of Justice following the lack of support from multiple Republicans for his confirmation. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration for the position of the next US attorney general, declaring that his confirmation battle had become a “distraction” for President-elect Donald Trump.
Last week, Trump announced Gaetz as his selection, praising him as the best candidate to “restore Americans’ badly-shattered faith and confidence” in the Department of Justice, which has faced accusations of politically targeting Republicans.
“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. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration,” Gaetz stated in a post on X on Thursday. “I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful president in history.”
Under US law, cabinet selections require Senate approval. Gaetz encountered opposition not only from all Democrats but also from several Republicans who have expressed their intention to oppose Trump’s agenda after January.
Opponents included Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and John Curtis of Utah – who replaced Mitt Romney. Their opposition drew criticism from many Republicans who noted that most had supported current AG Merrick Garland, which many believe facilitated his alleged abuses of office.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump acknowledged Gaetz’s efforts in seeking confirmation. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” he remarked.
Vice President-elect JD Vance noted that Gaetz “made his decision to withdraw entirely out of respect for President Trump’s administration,” adding, “Matt is a patriot and I look forward to seeing what he does next.”
Democrats, dissenting Republicans, and various media outlets united against Gaetz, condemning him for purported sexual misconduct with underage individuals. Gaetz has vigorously denied these allegations, and the DOJ closed its investigation last year without filing any charges. However, the House Ethics Committee has kept the inquiries ongoing, allegedly due to the influence of California Congressman Kevin McCarthy, whom Gaetz played a role in ousting as speaker last year.
“Years-old allegations of a sexual / salacious nature from sources DOJ previously deemed not credible assembled by people with a political motive. The Steele Dossier really was shameful,” Gaetz had asserted just two hours before his unexpected withdrawal.
The 'Steele Dossier' refers to the collection of unfounded claims about Trump that were commissioned by Democrats from a British spy in 2016. It served as a central component of the 'Russiagate' conspiracy theory aimed at undermining Trump during his first presidential term and was even utilized by the FBI to surveil Trump's campaign and administration.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
Last week, Trump announced Gaetz as his selection, praising him as the best candidate to “restore Americans’ badly-shattered faith and confidence” in the Department of Justice, which has faced accusations of politically targeting Republicans.
“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. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration,” Gaetz stated in a post on X on Thursday. “I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful president in history.”
Under US law, cabinet selections require Senate approval. Gaetz encountered opposition not only from all Democrats but also from several Republicans who have expressed their intention to oppose Trump’s agenda after January.
Opponents included Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and John Curtis of Utah – who replaced Mitt Romney. Their opposition drew criticism from many Republicans who noted that most had supported current AG Merrick Garland, which many believe facilitated his alleged abuses of office.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump acknowledged Gaetz’s efforts in seeking confirmation. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” he remarked.
Vice President-elect JD Vance noted that Gaetz “made his decision to withdraw entirely out of respect for President Trump’s administration,” adding, “Matt is a patriot and I look forward to seeing what he does next.”
Democrats, dissenting Republicans, and various media outlets united against Gaetz, condemning him for purported sexual misconduct with underage individuals. Gaetz has vigorously denied these allegations, and the DOJ closed its investigation last year without filing any charges. However, the House Ethics Committee has kept the inquiries ongoing, allegedly due to the influence of California Congressman Kevin McCarthy, whom Gaetz played a role in ousting as speaker last year.
“Years-old allegations of a sexual / salacious nature from sources DOJ previously deemed not credible assembled by people with a political motive. The Steele Dossier really was shameful,” Gaetz had asserted just two hours before his unexpected withdrawal.
The 'Steele Dossier' refers to the collection of unfounded claims about Trump that were commissioned by Democrats from a British spy in 2016. It served as a central component of the 'Russiagate' conspiracy theory aimed at undermining Trump during his first presidential term and was even utilized by the FBI to surveil Trump's campaign and administration.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
