Former Representative Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination Thursday to become attorney general in the second Trump term.
He said the move followed many “excellent meetings” with senators, who would have to vote to confirm his nomination.
“I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many,” Gaetz said in a post on X. “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.”
Some Republican senators had expressed their doubts about Gaetz’s nomination, though many of the same senators had voted for Merrick Garland, President Biden’s pick to head the Justice Department.
Gaetz launched the motion to remove then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in October 2023, while the House Ethics Committee was investigating claims of…
