President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced his plans to nominate longtime ally Representative Matt Gaetz (R., Fla.) to serve as U.S. attorney general in his incoming administration.

“Matt is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice,” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.

He went on to say that “few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System.” 

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

Trump noted Gaetz has played a key role on the House Judiciary Committee in performing oversight of the DOJ, including in “defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax.”

Gaetz responded to the nomination in a post on X saying, “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”

In order to become the attorney general, Gaetz will need to be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans (53-47) in the upcoming Congress. 

Gaetz has represented Florida’s 1st congressional district, a conservative district in the Florida panhandle, since 2017. 

He was a major player last year in the efforts to remove Kevin McCarthy from the House speakership position.

If he is confirmed, Gaetz will lead the department that was investigating him for sex trafficking as recently as last year.

Gaetz’s lawyers announced in February 2023 that they had been informed the DOJ concluded its yearslong investigation into allegations that he was part of a scheme that led to the sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl. Investigators ultimately closed the probe related to sex trafficking and obstruction of justice and declined to bring charges against him.