TAMPA, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump nominated Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to be his attorney general, but what exactly would Gaetz do in that role?
The attorney general represents the United States in legal matters and advises the president and other heads of the executive departments, according to the Department of Justice. He or she is also the head of the Department of Justice.
The person in the position is in charge of U.S. Attorneys and all other counsel employed on behalf of the country.
"The Attorney General has guided the world's largest law office and the central agency for enforcement of federal laws," the department's website reads.
If confirmed by the Senate, Gaetz would oversee agencies within the department such as the FBI, DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bureau of Prisons, Office of Justice Programs and the U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals Services.
Gaetz also could potentially make recommendations to the president concerning appointments to federal judicial positions and positions within the department including U.S. attorneys and marshals. He could also represent or supervise the representation of the government in the Supreme Court.
The current person in the position is Merrick B. Garland, 72, who was tapped by President Joe Biden. He was previously a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Former President Barack Obama nominated him for the position of associate justice of the Supreme Court. He also had roles under five attorney generals and practiced civil and criminal litigation, antitrust and administrative law.
Gaetz, 42, earned his law degree in 2007 from William & Mary Law School and worked for a firm before being elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2010. He has been a staunch defender of Trump and threatened to abolish the FBI and ATF in a social media post after saying he was unfairly targeted by the justice system when he was investigated on sex trafficking allegations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
