Donald Trump has nominated his fellow sexual predator Matt Gaetz for attorney general of the United States, and he selected former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who has no direct experience in intelligence, as his director of national intelligence.
The Republican Florida congressman has been the subject of an ethics probe over his possible role in sex trafficking a 17 year-old girl.
Gaetz, who has alienated many members of his own party, had been facing a House ethics probe over allegations of sexual misconduct, illegal drug use, and accepting improper gifts.
House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest, whose committee typically ends inquiries when members leave Congress, told reporters that the panel would not rush out a report on Gaetz, who has denied any wrongdoing but resigned on Wednesday.
Politico reports that other Republicans are stunned over the pick, calling it a “gut punch.”
Axios says one House Republican described being “disgusted.”
Trump’s decision to tap Gaetz for attorney general, Tulsi Gabbard for intelligence and Pete Hegseth for defense will test the Republican-led
Trump is still toying with nominating anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for a cabinet job.
Gaetz has repeatedly called for breaking up or abolishing the FBI, a premier federal law enforcement agency that is part of the Justice Department.
Mark Joseph Stern at Slate points out, for example, that “Americans should not be surprised if he launches prosecutions against abortion providers under the Comstock Act, including those located in blue states, if confirmed.”
In addition to tapping Gaetz to lead the Department of Justice, Trump has named dog-killing South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem the homeland security secretary.
Noem is best known for shooting a puppy and defending forcing 10 year-olds into childbirth.
The disgraced president-elect also announced that Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk will head a new “Department of Government Efficiency”—or DOGE, like the popular Internet meme.
Because nothing says efficiency like getting two mediocre men to run one department.
Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, is a Fox News weekend co-host who lobbied Trump to pardon military service members accused of war crimes.
Trump picking Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense shows that he selected a man who isn’t just wildly unqualified but who also wants to ban women from serving in combat roles.
These bizarrely unqualified appointees are certain to face near universal opposition from Democrats and they have more than a few Republicans expressing concern.
They clash with the president-elect’s first few appointees, who are broadly acceptable to his Republican coalition, including his co-campaign manager Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as secretary of state and as national security adviser, Mike Waltz, a colonel in the United States Army serving as the U.S. representative for Florida’s 6th congressional district.
In fact, Trump’s decision to choose Gabbard, Gaetz and Hegseth stunned senators and some of his own advisers, setting up multiple uphill confirmation battles that will test the incoming president’s political clout in the Senate, where his party is expected to hold 53 seats.
Amid the zany hiring spree, Trump is apparently daring GOP senators to defy him.
The president-elect expressed his expectation for unchallenged command by insisting the next Senate majority leader agree to fast-track his nominees through recess appointments, which would allow his picks to bypass the usual hearings and confirmation votes — a path that might be the only way Gaetz can get the job.
Since the Watergate scandal, the Justice Department has developed a practice of limiting White House involvement in law enforcement decisions.
Trump allies planning his second term said he will bring the department back under direct presidential control, and Trump himself has suggested using the department to retaliate against his critics and political opponents.
“They think they’re owning the libs, but a lot of their nominees’ dirty laundry will get aired this way,” said Marc Short, a former adviser to Trump’s first-term vice president, Mike Pence.
“I don’t think it’s a serious nomination for the attorney general,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. “This one was not on my bingo card.”
“I think he’s got a lot of work to get 50,” said North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis.
Gaetz provoked many of his House Republican colleagues, especially during showdowns over electing Kevin McCarthy as speaker in 2023, toppling McCarthy later that year over his cooperation with the White House on a bill funding the government.
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