Trump picks Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general

President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida as U.S. attorney general.

Gaetz has submitted his resignation from Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed at a news conference Wednesday evening. The resignation will not take effect until it is announced on the House floor.

Trump, in his Truth Social post announcing Gaetz's selection, wrote that the 42-year-old lawmaker "has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice."

Gaetz replied on X, "It will be an honor to serve as President Trump's Attorney General!"

The selection is the clearest example yet of how Trump, having sworn off many of his former staffers as "RINOs" — Republicans in Name Only — or enemies of him and his MAGA agenda, is making loyalty a key qualification for his second administration.

If the Senate confirms him, Gaetz will succeed Attorney General Merrick Garland, who led the Department of Justice as it conducted a sex-trafficking investigation of the congressman.

The DOJ ultimately declined to charge Gaetz.

Gaetz has been the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation into whether he engaged in sexual misconduct or illicit drug use.

But Johnson, R-La., said Wednesday that "the House Ethics Committee would have no further jurisdiction over the person, no further authority over them" if they were no longer in Congress.

House Ethics Chair Michael Guest, R-Miss., told reporters earlier Wednesday, "If Mr. Gaetz were to resign because he is taking a position with the administration as the Attorney General, then the Ethics Committee loses jurisdiction at that point."

Gaetz, who has denied any wrongdoing, in September said that he would no longer voluntarily participate in the panel's probe.

Punchbowl News reported Wednesday that his resignation came just two days before the panel was set to vote on releasing a report on its probe.

The lawmaker, who has carved out a reputation as a staunch and vocal Trump loyalist, has aggressively criticized the DOJ investigation and prosecution of the president-elect by special counsel Jack Smith.

In October 2023, Gaetz filed the original motion to oust then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, his fellow Republican. A band of eight Republicans led by Gaetz would ultimately join with all House Democrats in removing McCarthy as speaker, plunging the GOP conference into chaos.

Gaetz was traveling with Trump, billionaire Elon Musk and others Wednesday during the president-elect's first trip to Washington, D.C., since defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, NBC News reported.

Trump's selection of Gaetz came as a major surprise even to his Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill.

Just a day earlier, Johnson, whose projected majority had already been slimmed after Trump tapped GOP Reps. Elise Stefanik of New York and Florida Rep. Mike Waltz to join his incoming administration, said, "I don't expect that we will have more members leaving."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told Punchbowl News she was "shocked" by Gaetz's selection.

"This is why the Senate's advise and consent process is so important," Collins told the news outlet. "I'm sure that there will be many, many questions raised at Mr. Gaetz's hearing."

Asked by a HuffPost reporter whether Gaetz has the character to be attorney general, Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, replied, "Are you s------- me?"