How did Matt Gaetz go from Donald Trump’s top pick to withdrawing in eight days?

US President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general has fallen apart just eight days after it was announced. Gaetz has withdrawn from consideration, surprising Washington and the justice department, as reported by BBC news.

Gaetz's unexpected nomination

The nomination, which stunned both Republicans and Democrats, came after a chance decision by Trump during a two-hour flight from Washington to Florida. According to reports, Gaetz wasn’t even on the radar until Trump, after a meeting with President Joe Biden, began to reconsider his options.That afternoon, Gaetz was not on the shortlist, but the president-elect had become frustrated with other candidates.
On board Trump Force One were Gaetz, Elon Musk, incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, and Trump’s legal adviser Boris Epshteyn. Reports say Epshteyn persuaded Trump to pick Gaetz to lead the justice department, despite Gaetz being part of a past sex-trafficking investigation. Gaetz had also helped prepare Trump for his key debate with Joe Biden, which played a big role in securing the presidency.

Critics slam Gaetz

The nomination quickly drew backlash. While some Republicans expressed mild support, many career lawyers within the justice department were outraged, particularly after Gaetz had suggested abolishing the department and its agencies. Critics warned that Trump was more interested in appointing loyalists than upholding the rule of law. Former Trump adviser John Bolton called Gaetz the “worst cabinet-level appointment in history,”Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, said the criticism showed that his father’s picks were the change voters wanted.

Gaetz pulls back

Gaetz, 42, resigned from his seat in Florida’s 1st district as the House Ethics Committee was about to release a report on misconduct allegations. He denied the accusations, calling them a 'smear'.
The confirmation process began to resemble a political battleground, with Trump making calls to senators in an effort to rally support. Despite some encouragement, by Thursday morning, Gaetz had realised he lacked the votes. In an announcement, Gaetz withdrew, claiming that his confirmation had become “a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition.”

Trump’s shift to Pam Bondi

Hours after Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump nominated former Florida attorney general and seasoned prosecutor Pam Bondi as his new pick for the role. Trump thanked Gaetz for his efforts and suggested that his political future was still promising. Despite the setback, Gaetz was comfortably re-elected to Congress earlier this month, but a special election will be held to fill his vacated seat.
Randy Ross, a Florida-based fundraiser for Trump, believes Gaetz’s story is far from over. “There’s still a spot in Trump’s administration, Florida, or our country’s future leadership for this patriot,” he said.
Gaetz’s wife, Ginger, shared a heartfelt post on X, sharing an old photo of them on the steps of Capitol Hill with the caption, "The end of an era."