'They Had an Ax to Grind': Matt Gaetz Speaks Out About Rough Process That Led Him to Withdraw from AG Consideration

Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz disclosed Friday some of the reasons behind his decision to withdraw from consideration for the attorney general position, citing that certain senators “had an ax to grind” against him.

On Thursday, President-elect Donald Trump announced via Truth Social, “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect.”

Earlier this week, Gaetz began meeting with senators to secure the confirmation needed for the role.

“I enjoyed the time on the Hill, frankly, talking with senators, and we had great momentum,” Gaetz shared with Real America’s Voice host Charlie Kirk on Friday.

However, he acknowledged challenges during the process. “While our discussions were going well, I found myself having to do two jobs at one time,” he explained. “I had a full-time job explaining to senators that maybe a tweet I sent about them was rash and not reflective of how I would serve as attorney general. And at the same time, I was having to build out the Department of Justice with the right human talent, [and] the right policy infrastructure.”

Gaetz expressed confidence in Trump’s new choice for attorney general, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, noting that her path to confirmation would likely be smoother.

“It won’t take the same long process” for her to be approved, he remarked.

Gaetz acknowledged that his actions in Congress, particularly his successful campaign to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023, created hostility toward him on Capitol Hill.

“I was dealing with a politically motivated body. They didn’t like me because of what I did to Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said, as reported by CNN. “And they had an ax to grind. So that was going to serve as at least enough of a basis to delay my confirmation as attorney general.”

The staunch advocate of the America First agenda also announced during his interview with Kirk that he will not seek a return to Congress for the next session. His resignation from the 118th Congress left his seat open, and he intends to step away from legislative office entirely.

“I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” Gaetz declared.

He highlighted his support for the candidates vying to fill his seat, expressing optimism for the future of Northwest Florida. “There are a number of fantastic Floridians who stepped up to run for my seat, people who have inspired with their heroism, with their public service. And I’m actually excited to see Northwest Florida go to new heights and have great representation.”

At 42, Gaetz says he is eager to focus on other priorities. “I’ve got other goals in life that I’m eager to pursue — my wife and my family — and so I’m going to be fighting for President Trump,” he said. “I’m going to be doing whatever he asks of me, as I always have. But I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress.”

Gaetz’s departure comes against the backdrop of a House Ethics report poised for release before his resignation. The investigation focused on allegations from 2017 claiming he paid a 17-year-old girl for sex at a party, claims that Gaetz has consistently denied.

The Department of Justice had also conducted a sex trafficking investigation into Gaetz but closed the case in 2023 without filing charges.

In his interview with Kirk, Gaetz dismissed the allegations as unfounded attempts to tarnish his reputation, as reported by NBC News. “[I]f the things that the House Ethics report [said] were true, I would be under indictment and probably in a prison cell,” he said. “But of course, they’re false, because when you test them against other records, when you test them against other testimony, it all falls apart very quickly.”