Anti-LGBTQ+ MAGA diehards are upset that former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) withdrew his nomination to be attorney general. Though President-elect Donald Trump has named his former impeachment lawyer and former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi as Gaetz’s replacement, some Trump supporters still think Gaetz would’ve been a good pick to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ), despite the accusations of statutory rape and child sex trafficking against him.

“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz wrote in a Thursday social media post announcing his resignation. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s [Department of Justice] must be in place and ready on Day 1. I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history.”

Related

Sen. Ron Johnson compares Rachel Levine being trans to Matt Gaetz’s sex trafficking allegations
“Look over there!” MAGA Republicans are likely to continue using trans people to distract from their own actions.

His withdrawal is one of the quickest ever for a presidential Cabinet nomination, and it’s not entirely clear if he can get his House seat back seeing as he resigned from the chamber after Trump nominated him, promising not to take his oath of office for the seat again in 2025. Nonetheless, MAGA diehards are lamenting his withdrawal.

Insights for the LGBTQ+ community

Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

Right-wing pundit Matt Wallace commented, “Super disappointed Matt Gaetz was forced by the elites to drop out. They probably threatened his life because most of them have done crimes so graphic I can’t even describe them here. They can’t have someone like Matt investigating them.”

Valentina Gomez, a failed Missouri secretary of state candidate who used homophobic slurs and anti-queer rhetoric in her campaign wrote, “Come hell or high water, I have your back Matt. God bless you and Ginger.”

Right-wing pundit Kevin Smith wrote, “As a friend It kills me to hear this… As an American, we as a nation will miss out on your leadership at the DOJ.”

George — a conservative influencer who has spread election misinformation, according to the media watchdog group Snopes — wrote to Gaetz, “What the swamp has done to you is truly sickening.”

Conservative commenter Paul A. Szypula wrote, “Gaetz would’ve been an amazing AG. He’s 100% MAGA.”

Gaetz would’ve been an amazing AG. He’s 100% MAGA.

— Paul A. Szypula

Source: LGBTQ Nation