How Gaetz's Career Plummeted
His passing represented a unique setback for Trump following his electoral victory.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump selected Matt Gaetz as his attorney general mid-flight eight days ago with the intention of shocking a pivotal Washington institution—the DOJ—into compliance. The political upheaval that followed culminated with a disappointing realization on Thursday: the U.S. Senate was not aligned with Trump's choice.
Numerous investigations surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use, the difficulty in gaining the support of skeptical Republican senators, and the threat of a confirmation hearing devolving into a spectacle made Gaetz's candidacy untenable. As of Wednesday, reports indicated at least four Senate Republicans were opposed to his nomination, and that number was likely to decrease as concerns arose about potentially damaging allegations surfacing from the House Ethics Committee’s inquiry.
“He didn't have the votes, and it was only going to get harder with the ethics stuff,” said one individual familiar with the situation, describing the atmosphere surrounding Gaetz as “distracting — super distracting.”
Just a week prior, Trump had expressed frustration over the lack of an attorney general candidate with the boldness necessary to reform the Justice Department. On that day, while flying to Washington with Gaetz, Trump realized that the solution to his dilemma was right next to him: Gaetz—a loyal and polarizing firebrand—was his choice.
Trump's swift decision to nominate one of Congress's most polarizing figures initiated a series of controversies and backlash on Capitol Hill, ultimately leading to Gaetz deciding to withdraw from consideration on Thursday. According to a source familiar with the conversation, both Trump and Gaetz concurred that the role of attorney general was too crucial to jeopardize with a protracted confirmation battle.
By the end of the week, it was clear that Gaetz would have struggled to secure enough votes in a confirmation process.
Hours after Gaetz stepped away, Trump appointed another Floridian, former state Attorney General Pam Bondi, as his nominee to lead the DOJ.
The whirlwind eight-day event hinted at what Trump might bring as he prepares to take office again in January. Just when it appeared that the political establishment had weathered the worst, Trump found yet another way to shock by selecting an individual that seemed to be a stretch even for him. This was not an isolated incident; his decisions to appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, to lead HHS and Fox personality Pete Hegseth to oversee the Department of Defense were also met with astonishment.
Trump maintained an optimistic facade in his support for Gaetz. On Tuesday, he asserted to reporters in Texas that he had no intention of abandoning the controversial ex-congressman; he was even making calls to senators on Gaetz's behalf. While some in Trump’s inner circle expressed cautious hope regarding their meetings with lawmakers, serious reservations were evident.
“The Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent — and in this particular case, I think there was advice offered, rather than consent,” stated Senator Mike Rounds, who also expressed that Gaetz's retreat was not surprising.
By Thursday morning, Gaetz was in touch with leading Republicans and activists who had advocated for his confirmation, informing them of his impending announcement to withdraw. "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 said in a statement. "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.”
That announcement, however, reached few senators directly. Many learned about it through Gaetz's post on X amid Senate floor voting or when questioned by reporters. Senator Josh Hawley, a close associate of Vance who had intended to support all of Trump's nominees, also discovered the news through Gaetz's post.
“The timing was unexpected,” remarked Senator Ted Cruz, who had met with Gaetz the previous day. “My view coming out of that meeting was that it was important that he had a full and fair hearing, and the Senate moved promptly, I assume, based on the announcement today that there were significant challenges to Senate confirmation.”
Gaetz and Vance spent nearly 12 hours at the Capitol on Wednesday meeting with key senators from the Judiciary Committee. Their strategy seemed to focus on obtaining a hearing for the Florida Republican—one that Senator John Cornyn described as possibly “Kavanaugh on steroids.”
Meanwhile, Democrats were calling for the release of what was anticipated to be a damaging report from the House ethics panel detailing allegations, including that Gaetz had engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl. On Thursday, CNN reported that the woman who had come forward had claimed Gaetz had sexual encounters with her on two occasions, including one involving another adult. Gaetz's announcement to withdraw came just before this story broke; he continues to refute the allegations.
One of Gaetz's last discussions was with Senator Joni Ernst, who is not on the Judiciary Committee. Ernst had withheld comments about Gaetz all week but noted that he faced “an uphill battle,” while acknowledging some of Trump's other nominations positively.
Some advocates for Trump’s cabinet choices believed that Gaetz’s withdrawal could improve the chances for other nominees, including Hegseth, Kennedy, and Tulsi Gabbard.
“It doesn’t mean RFK or Tulsi or Pete are going to get through, but it probably is appreciated by the Senate that Gaetz no longer is up for consideration,” shared an individual familiar with lobbying efforts.
Gaetz's rapid decline represents a rare setback for Trump following his recent electoral success, raising questions about how it transpired. It's believed Trump was already aware of the allegations detailed in the House ethics report regarding Gaetz, countering speculations that he was not fully informed.
As Gaetz made his rounds on Capitol Hill late in the week, it became clear to observers that the real question was not whether he would be confirmed, but rather how soon he would choose to withdraw. Those in Trump's orbit indicated that there was considerable discomfort among Senate Republicans regarding a forced vote on Gaetz's nomination.
“This one, they wanted a pass,” remarked an insider regarding the Senate's apprehension surrounding Gaetz, “and I think that message got through.”
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
Numerous investigations surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use, the difficulty in gaining the support of skeptical Republican senators, and the threat of a confirmation hearing devolving into a spectacle made Gaetz's candidacy untenable. As of Wednesday, reports indicated at least four Senate Republicans were opposed to his nomination, and that number was likely to decrease as concerns arose about potentially damaging allegations surfacing from the House Ethics Committee’s inquiry.
“He didn't have the votes, and it was only going to get harder with the ethics stuff,” said one individual familiar with the situation, describing the atmosphere surrounding Gaetz as “distracting — super distracting.”
Just a week prior, Trump had expressed frustration over the lack of an attorney general candidate with the boldness necessary to reform the Justice Department. On that day, while flying to Washington with Gaetz, Trump realized that the solution to his dilemma was right next to him: Gaetz—a loyal and polarizing firebrand—was his choice.
Trump's swift decision to nominate one of Congress's most polarizing figures initiated a series of controversies and backlash on Capitol Hill, ultimately leading to Gaetz deciding to withdraw from consideration on Thursday. According to a source familiar with the conversation, both Trump and Gaetz concurred that the role of attorney general was too crucial to jeopardize with a protracted confirmation battle.
By the end of the week, it was clear that Gaetz would have struggled to secure enough votes in a confirmation process.
Hours after Gaetz stepped away, Trump appointed another Floridian, former state Attorney General Pam Bondi, as his nominee to lead the DOJ.
The whirlwind eight-day event hinted at what Trump might bring as he prepares to take office again in January. Just when it appeared that the political establishment had weathered the worst, Trump found yet another way to shock by selecting an individual that seemed to be a stretch even for him. This was not an isolated incident; his decisions to appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, to lead HHS and Fox personality Pete Hegseth to oversee the Department of Defense were also met with astonishment.
Trump maintained an optimistic facade in his support for Gaetz. On Tuesday, he asserted to reporters in Texas that he had no intention of abandoning the controversial ex-congressman; he was even making calls to senators on Gaetz's behalf. While some in Trump’s inner circle expressed cautious hope regarding their meetings with lawmakers, serious reservations were evident.
“The Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent — and in this particular case, I think there was advice offered, rather than consent,” stated Senator Mike Rounds, who also expressed that Gaetz's retreat was not surprising.
By Thursday morning, Gaetz was in touch with leading Republicans and activists who had advocated for his confirmation, informing them of his impending announcement to withdraw. "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 said in a statement. "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.”
That announcement, however, reached few senators directly. Many learned about it through Gaetz's post on X amid Senate floor voting or when questioned by reporters. Senator Josh Hawley, a close associate of Vance who had intended to support all of Trump's nominees, also discovered the news through Gaetz's post.
“The timing was unexpected,” remarked Senator Ted Cruz, who had met with Gaetz the previous day. “My view coming out of that meeting was that it was important that he had a full and fair hearing, and the Senate moved promptly, I assume, based on the announcement today that there were significant challenges to Senate confirmation.”
Gaetz and Vance spent nearly 12 hours at the Capitol on Wednesday meeting with key senators from the Judiciary Committee. Their strategy seemed to focus on obtaining a hearing for the Florida Republican—one that Senator John Cornyn described as possibly “Kavanaugh on steroids.”
Meanwhile, Democrats were calling for the release of what was anticipated to be a damaging report from the House ethics panel detailing allegations, including that Gaetz had engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl. On Thursday, CNN reported that the woman who had come forward had claimed Gaetz had sexual encounters with her on two occasions, including one involving another adult. Gaetz's announcement to withdraw came just before this story broke; he continues to refute the allegations.
One of Gaetz's last discussions was with Senator Joni Ernst, who is not on the Judiciary Committee. Ernst had withheld comments about Gaetz all week but noted that he faced “an uphill battle,” while acknowledging some of Trump's other nominations positively.
Some advocates for Trump’s cabinet choices believed that Gaetz’s withdrawal could improve the chances for other nominees, including Hegseth, Kennedy, and Tulsi Gabbard.
“It doesn’t mean RFK or Tulsi or Pete are going to get through, but it probably is appreciated by the Senate that Gaetz no longer is up for consideration,” shared an individual familiar with lobbying efforts.
Gaetz's rapid decline represents a rare setback for Trump following his recent electoral success, raising questions about how it transpired. It's believed Trump was already aware of the allegations detailed in the House ethics report regarding Gaetz, countering speculations that he was not fully informed.
As Gaetz made his rounds on Capitol Hill late in the week, it became clear to observers that the real question was not whether he would be confirmed, but rather how soon he would choose to withdraw. Those in Trump's orbit indicated that there was considerable discomfort among Senate Republicans regarding a forced vote on Gaetz's nomination.
“This one, they wanted a pass,” remarked an insider regarding the Senate's apprehension surrounding Gaetz, “and I think that message got through.”
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
