The controversial and ultra-Trumpist Matt Gaetz, chosen by Donald Trump as Minister of Justice, announced this Thursday that he was relinquishing this post.
Since his victory in the American presidential election on November 5, Donald Trump has been building his government team. Some appointments did not go unnoticed and even raised questions, such as the choice of Matt Gaetz as Minister of Justice.
After a week of controversy, the former Republican elected official from Florida, who is struggling to achieve unanimity within his own camp, announced this Thursday that he was relinquishing this post.
“While momentum was strong, it is clear that the confirmation of my nomination was unfairly becoming a distraction from the crucial task of the Trump/Vance transition team,” he wrote on X, the day after his meeting with senators.
“There is no time to waste in an unnecessarily prolonged fight in Washington, which is why I will withdraw my candidacy for the position. The Trump Justice Department must be in place and ready from day one,” he said.
A controversial man
The choice of Donald Trump for the strategic Department of Justice had caused indignation and incomprehension given the controversial character that Matt Gaetz embodies and his lack of legal experience.
This foal of the next president of the United States is accused of having had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, which he denies.
These alleged facts triggered a federal investigation into sexual exploitation of a minor, which resulted in a dismissal of the case in 2023.
Matt Gaetz, aged 42, is also the target of other investigations, this time carried out by the Ethics Committee of the House of Representatives, for alleged sexual offenses, illegal consumption of narcotics, embezzlement of campaign funds and various misconduct professionals.
His departure on November 13 from this assembly automatically put an end to the investigation, but in recent days, leaks of testimonies and information have multiplied.
