Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump’s nominee for US attorney-general

Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration for US attorney-general, in a blow to Donald Trump after the president-elect made the controversial former congressman his pick to run the Department of fairness.

Gaetz announced in a post on X on Thursday that his nomination was “unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance shift”.

“There is no period to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as attorney-general,” Gaetz said. “Trump’s DoJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”

Trump’s selection of Gaetz for attorney-general last week sent shockwaves through Washington.

Many Republican lawmakers immediately questioned the shift, raising questions about whether the radical from Florida would be able to survive a gruelling Senate confirmation procedure. All cabinet appointees must be approved by a straightforward majority of the upper chamber of Congress.

Gaetz, who resigned last week as a congressman from Florida, was previously under investigation by the DoJ for allegedly having a sexual connection with an underage girl. While no charges were ever brought, he has separately been the subject of a long-running congressional investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and drug use. He has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

Trump praised Gaetz in a post to his Truth Social platform on Thursday, saying the former congressman had a “wonderful upcoming” ahead of him.

“He was doing very well but, at the same period, did not desire to be a distraction for the administration, for which he has much regard,” Trump said. “Matt has a wonderful upcoming, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”

Gaetz’s extraction came just one day after he met several Republican senators on Capitol Hill accompanied by JD Vance, the Ohio senator who will be Trump’s vice-president, in a bid to shore up back for his nomination.

Vance did not immediately comment on Gaetz’s selection.