Matt Gaetz, the embattled former Florida congressman, withdrew from consideration for attorney general Thursday, saying he was “unfairly becoming a distraction” to President-elect Donald Trump’s transition.
Gaetz dropped out amid allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, including a new report that surfaced Thursday of him having a second sexual encounter with a then-17-year-old girl in 2017. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Further, his meetings with Republican senators this week reportedly revealed that his nomination would get rejected in confirmation hearings.
“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 to serve as Attorney General. Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1," Gaetz said in a post to X.
"I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I'm certain he will Save America,” he added.
Trump said in a statement that Gaetz, who resigned from Congress last week, "did not want to be a distraction."
"I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!" Trump said in a post to Truth Social.
Although the House Ethics Committee on Wednesday voted against releasing its report on Gaetz, CNN reported Thursday that the panel was told in testimony that Gaetz had a second, previously unreported sexual encounter with a 17-year-old girl at a party in 2017. The second encounter also included an adult woman, CNN reported.
Further, an attorney for two women said that his clients told committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman.
One of the women testified she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in Florida in 2017, according to the attorney, Joel Leppard. Leppard has said that his client testified she didn’t think Gaetz knew the girl was underage, stopped their relationship when he found out and did not resume it until after she turned 18. The age of consent in Florida is 18.
Gaetz has vehemently and repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
This story has been updated.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.