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Matt Gaetz, the incendiary Republican congressman from Florida, has been nominated by Donald Trump to be US attorney-general in his second administration, a surprise pick for the post that will reverberate across the political and law enforcement establishment in Washington.
Gaetz’s nomination comes as the president-elect vows to overhaul the US Department of Justice in retaliation for the criminal investigations and indictments launched against him by federal prosecutors in recent years.
“Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan weaponization of our justice system. Matt will end weaponized government, protect our borders, dismantle criminal organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered faith and confidence in the justice department,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Gaetz, 42, trained as a lawyer and practised in Florida for two years before running for Congress. Since pivoting to politics, he has been a vocal member of the hard-right coalition in Congress, supporting some of Trump’s most controversial policies and defending his actions in the lead-up to the violent riot on Capitol Hill on January 6 2021.
Earlier this year, Gaetz was part of a delegation of rightwing lawmakers who travelled to Manhattan to support Trump during his “hush money” trial, claiming the case was being overseen by a “corrupt judge”.
He has also used his position on the House Judiciary Committee to go after the DoJ on a number of issues, including the “targeting” of Elon Musk for alleged discrimination against refugees at SpaceX.
Though Gaetz is a surprising pick, the US “has a history of attorneys-general who were picked for their closeness to the president and not their experience in either the Department of Justice or any other legal endeavour,” said Daniel Richman, a former federal prosecutor.
Gaetz was previously under investigation by the DoJ he could head, if confirmed, over the alleged sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl and obstruction of justice, although that probe was dropped in 2023.
The US House of Representatives also investigated Gaetz for alleged ethics breaches, including sexual misconduct, drug use and the acceptance of gifts. He has strenuously denied the allegations.
Democrats reacted swiftly to the news. “Confirming him would mean affirming the worst potential abuses of DoJ,” said Adam Schiff, the Democratic congressman and senator-elect from California who helped lead the first impeachment trial against Trump.
Earlier in the day, Trump made another controversial pick, choosing Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii known for her pro-Russian views, to be the director of national intelligence, in a move that is likely to raise big concerns among US allies.
Gabbard’s nomination follows her rapid conversion to being one of Trump’s closest allies, just four years after she ran in the Democratic presidential primary to challenge him for the White House.
“Anybody who’s been watching her can see she’s dramatically changed . . . can you trust people who have changed so dramatically in such a short period of time?” said Paul Rieckhoff, chief executive of Independent Veterans of America, who worked with her on Capitol Hill.
Gabbard has a record of positions that are sympathetic to Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin, including blaming Nato and Joe Biden’s administration for Russia’s full -invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022. She has also claimed that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is not an “enemy” of the US.
“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our intelligence community, championing our constitutional rights, and securing peace through strength,” Trump said in a statement.
Both Gabbard and Gaetz will need to be confirmed by the US Senate, which could be a struggle even with Republicans in control of the upper chamber of Congress next year.