Trump appoints Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general

On Wednesday, President-elect Donald Trump declared that he had selected Rep. Matt Gaetz as his attorney general. Should the Senate confirm Gaetz, the Justice Department would be led by a firebrand and one of Trump's closest supporters.

“Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System,” Trump wrote in the post. “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department. On the House Judiciary Committee, which performs oversight of DOJ, Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization. He is a Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law.”

Trump also described Gaetz as a “deeply gifted and tenacious attorney.”

In a post on X, the Florida congressman said, “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”

Trump's choice of Gaetz as the federal government's chief law enforcement officer is explosive; he is in charge of the same executive branch that spent years looking into the Florida congressman's charges. He has consistently denied any misconduct.

Since winning in 2017, Gaetz has been a member of Congress, riding the MAGA wave that propelled Trump to Washington eight years prior. Gaetz grew close to Trump over the years and became one of his most fervent, and some associates say effective, advocates in Washington.

Since Election Day, Gaetz has been down at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home virtually every day, according to sources, offering advice and comments on potential administration choices. He also took Trump's private jet to Washington, DC, today.

President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet selections on Wednesday have sparked reactions from Democratic lawmakers, particularly his selection of Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general.

The attorney general position will be essential to Trump's second-term strategy and will support the president-elect's policies regarding political retaliation, immigration, and reproductive health. Gaetz has long charged that under President Joe Biden, the Justice Department has been utilized as a weapon against conservatives, such as Trump.