Matt Gaetz, the former Florida congressman who Donald Trump tapped last week as his choice for attorney general, announced today that he would withdraw from consideration.
Gaetz has faced a torrent of scrutiny over allegations of sex trafficking and drug use, which he has denied. After meetings on Capitol Hill yesterday, Gaetz told people close to him that at least four Republican senators opposed his nomination — enough to block his confirmation. Susan Collins of Maine, one of those senators, said that it was “the best decision that Mr. Gaetz could have made.”
The collapse of Gaetz’s bid underscored Trump’s haphazard approach to his cabinet selection process. He picked Gaetz almost on a whim without extensive vetting.
The storm surrounding Gaetz, personally disliked by lawmakers in both parties, has drawn some attention away from Trump’s other contested picks. Pete Hegseth, his choice for defense secretary, has also been accused of sexual assault. The office of the city attorney of Monterey, Calif., released a redacted police file yesterday containing the accusation of a woman who said that Hegseth raped her in 2017.
Hegseth met with senators today in an effort to secure their support. Many Republicans defended him. In interviews, several veterans who served with Hegseth told us they were thrilled he was chosen; his peers described him as a skillful soldier who became embittered by military dysfunction.
In other politics news:
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