Trump picks loyalist Matt Gaetz of Florida as US attorney general

United States President-elect Donald Trump has announced that Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, 42, will serve as his attorney general, a role that doubles as the country’s top prosecutor and the head of the Department of Justice.

Trump announced the nomination in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, citing Gaetz’s background as a lawyer and as a member of the House Judiciary Committee.

He also indicated that Gaetz’s nomination would be part of his agenda to rout the government of perceived rivals. Trump has long accused Democrats of “weaponising” the Justice Department against him, an allegation he revisited in Wednesday’s announcement.

“Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System,” Trump wrote in his statement.

“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.”

A Trump loyalist, Gaetz celebrated his nomination on social media, calling it an “an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General”.

Earlier in the day, the US representative also echoed the president-elect’s remarks about perceived bias in the government.

“We ought to have a full court press against this WEAPONIZED government that has been turned against our people,” Gaetz wrote.

“And if that means ABOLISHING every one of the three letter agencies, from the FBI to the ATF, I’m ready to get going!”

A fractious choice

Gaetz’s ascent to the post, however, is by no means assured. As a nominee for a cabinet-level post, the firebrand Gaetz will have to pass what is sure to be a contentious confirmation vote in the US Senate.

Republicans will take control of the Senate in January, but many in the party view the far-right Gaetz as an unlikeable careerist.

Gaetz took a central role in splintering the Republican Party last October when he led an effort to topple former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The ouster triggered weeks of uncertainty in the House, which struggled to elect a replacement for McCarthy.

While Gaetz portrayed himself as an anti-establishment insurgent willing to take on powerful forces within his own party, some Republicans viewed McCarthy’s ejection as a publicity stunt meant to elevate Gaetz’s profile.

One of his fellow Republicans from Florida, Representative Carlos Gimenez, even told the publication Politico that Gaetz is politically isolated even in his own home state.

“Gaetz maybe has a couple of friends in the delegation,” Gimenez said in 2023. “But I’m not one of them.”

Trump’s priorities

But Gaetz’s selection as attorney general is the latest indicator of the ideas and priorities that could define Trump’s second term in office.

On the campaign trail, Trump frequently spoke of retribution against political rivals and officials who criticised him or refused his demands, including some related to his efforts to illegitimately overturn his loss in the 2020 election.

“Well, revenge does take time. I will say that,” Trump told TV host Phil McGraw in June. “And sometimes revenge can be justified, Phil. I have to be honest.”

Trump has also frequently bashed the Department of Justice for its role in pursuing two of the four criminal indictments he faced.

Led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, federal prosecutors charged Trump with crimes related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his refusal to surrender classified documents after leaving the White House in 2021.

In response, Trump has called the Department of Justice the “Department of Injustice” and accused it of trying to sabotage his re-election campaign in 2024.

“All of these FAKE POLITICAL PROSECUTIONS (PERSECUTIONS!) OF CROOKED JOE BIDEN’S POLITICAL OPPONENT MUST BE IMMEDIATELY HALTED!” he wrote on Truth Social in February.

Legal troubles

By aiming to place Gaetz as the head of the department, critics believe Trump is signalling that personal loyalty is central to his incoming administration.

The choice of Gaetz also elevates a fellow Republican who, like Trump, has faced an investigation from the Department of Justice.

In recent years, allegations have surfaced that the Florida lawmaker offered gifts to underage girls for sex. Gaetz has firmly denied the accusations. In February 2023, the Department of Justice concluded an investigation into the matter without bringing charges.

McCarthy, meanwhile, responded to the allegations by calling Gaetz “a smart guy without morals” that “no one can stand”.

Nevertheless, the House Ethics Committee has continued its investigation into allegations that Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and drug use.

In September, Gates said that he would no longer cooperate with the “uncomfortably nosy” committee and described the investigation as a “political payback exercise”.