WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz will be nominated to helm the department that investigated him less than two years ago, President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday.
If appointed, Gaetz will serve as the attorney general, leading the Department of Justice and acting as the country's chief law enforcement officer.
Gaetz was the subject of a DOJ investigation centered around possible sex trafficking, which concluded in February 2023. He was accused of having sex with a minor and transporting the victim across state lines to engage in prostitution -- and acting to cover it up.
The core of the investigation was testimony from Gaet'z associate Joel Greenberg, who prosecutors said introduced the girl to Gaetz. Greenberg was later sentenced to 11 years in prison on similar charges of sex trafficking of a minor.
The DOJ ultimately declined to charge Gaetz, who had long denied the allegations. After the resolution of the investigation, Gaetz called for the abolishment of the FBI.
The president-elect has waged war on the DOJ throughout the entire Trump era, leading to uncertainty about the department's future under his leadership. Trump himself has been charged with four federal felonies in connection with his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.
“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.