Across the Atlantic, his appointment had been commented on, but his withdrawal is even more so today. Matt Gaetz, a controversial Republican from Florida in the House of Representatives, was named on November 13 as future Minister of Justice by Donald Trump, who was elected President of the United States again at the beginning of the month. On Thursday, the manager announced that he was relinquishing this position, just a few days after this announcement. The reason? Strong criticism, including within the Republican camp, on the relevance of his profile to occupy such a position. In recent days, many voices have been raised to criticize his lack of experience in the judicial field. Above all, the allegations of alleged sexual offenses and drug use against him, in particular the accusation of having had sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl, have further weakened his position.
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“Despite strong momentum, 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 said on the network social X Thursday. The day before, he had spent the day in meetings trying to convince Republican senators to confirm his designation as future Attorney Generalaccompanied by Vice President-elect, JD Vance. Without success. “During his four terms in the House of Representatives, Matt Gaetz's explosive political tactics drove many elected officials from his own party crazy, including senators, who had greeted his appointment as Justice Minister with skepticism,” the site says. web of CNN, in a long article behind the scenes of this withdrawal.
“A major setback for Trump”
Generally speaking, the various American press titles agree to consider this episode as one of the first disappointments for the future administration of Donald Trump. For the Washington Postthis is a “major setback” for the Republican billionaire. “It is also a sign that the institutions – or at least some of their members – can rise up against him, and remarkable proof that there could be a series of battles between the president-elect and his own party,” said the daily based in the American capital. “Donald Trump faces a brutal return to reality”, summarizes for his part Politicowhich emphasizes that “questions remain about how Donald Trump allowed this setback to occur”.
For some media, the withdrawal of Matt Gaetz could usher in a more difficult period politically than the president-elect had anticipated, who since his victory has increased the appointments of ministers with controversial reputations, such as Robert Kennedy Jr. at Health or Tulsi Gabbard at the Intelligence Directorate. The incident “marks an important moment to define the room for maneuver of Donald Trump's power during this second term, while Congress and the Supreme Court are now more favorable to him than during his first stint” at the White House, notes THE Los Angeles Times. After his election in 2016, “his control over the Republican Party was only in its first stages,” recalls the Californian newspaper.
“A Trojan horse” to better accept the other nominations?
The New York Times is also particularly critical after the sequence of the appointment, then the withdrawal, of the former representative from Florida. “The collapse of Matt Gaetz's candidacy […] appears to be the quickest failure in modern history for a ministerial cabinet, revealing the haphazard way in which Donald Trump has composed his new administration”, tackles the daily history of the east coast. Returning to this first debacle known by the new American president, the title regrets the lack of “verification” in relation to the profile of Matt Gaetz, appointed “almost on a whim” by Donald Trump.
Can this first step back predict difficulties for the other personalities named since the victory of the Republican candidate against Kamala Harris? THE Washington Post puts forward another interesting hypothesis. “One theory could be that Matt Gaetz is potentially a Trojan horse. As his behavior was unacceptable, his nomination could have been presented for rejection, and thus make other Trump nominations, notably that of the Minister of Justice who will replace him,” analyzes journalist Aaron Blake in his article.
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Donald Trump was quick to find a replacement for Matt Gaetz at the head of the Department of Justice. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose CV is less divisive than Matt Gaetz, was chosen for the position. Like three other jurists still appointed within this administration, she joined the team of lawyers who defended the businessman in the impeachment trial brought against him in the Senate in 2020.
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