(NewsNation) — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., has withdrawn his name from the running for attorney general following controversy over his nomination.
Gaetz announced on X he had made the decision to withdraw after meeting with senators for feedback.
“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,” he said.
Gaetz resigned from his seat in the current Congress once he was nominated and said at the time he would not be sworn into his seat in the upcoming Congress on Jan. 3, 2025.
However, now that he has backed out of the nomination, it is technically possible he could choose to take up the seat again.
President-elect Donald Trump called Gaetz on Thursday morning to inform him the Senate lacked the votes to confirm him, according to a source familiar with the matter, as first reported by CNN and confirmed by NewsNation.
Trump’s team was informed that Gaetz’s meetings with Republican senators did not go well, according to a source. Several GOP senators reportedly told the team they would not support Gaetz’s nomination.
Based on this feedback, the transition team advised Trump there were not enough votes for confirmation, the source told NewsNation.
NewsNation has reached out to the transition team for comment.
If Gaetz does not return to the House, Florida will hold a special election to fill the vacant seat.
Many had expressed doubts over Gaetz’s nomination due to an ongoing investigation by the House Ethics Committee and the fact that he’s faced allegations of sex trafficking and soliciting a minor.
The Justice Department declined to charge Gaetz after investigating him for sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.
The Ethics Committee had been getting close to releasing the report on Gaetz when he resigned, halting the process because the committee doesn’t typically release reports on former lawmakers.
There has been mounting public pressure for the committee to break with that precedent, however, in the face of Gaetz’s nomination.
On Wednesday, the committee met to discuss the issue but failed to reach a consensus. A hacker released documents purportedly from the investigation to The New York Times, which included testimony from a woman who said she had sex with Gaetz when she was 17 and he was an adult.
Another document allegedly from the investigation appeared to show Gaetz paying money for sex.
If Gaetz were to take his seat again, the Ethics Committee’s jurisdiction over him would resume along with the investigation and possible consequences based on the findings.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
