Matt Gaetz withdraws from consideration as America’s attorney-general

MATT GAETZFBI, Donald Trump’s choice for America’s attorney-general, spent November 20th meeting senators and telling reporters it had been “a great day of momentum”. The next day, however, Mr Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration, acknowledging that “my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction.” Soon after the president-elect picked a replacement: Pam Bondi, Florida’s former attorney-general and one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial.Mr Gaetz’s decision to step aside reflected reality: he had little chance of being confirmed even by a Republican-controlled Senate. The Republican Party may belong to Mr Trump, but his power is not absolute. The nomimation of Mr Gaetz as the country’s chief law-enforcement officer as soon as it was announced on November 13th. It was incomprehensible. He had had little experience practising law before turning to politics. After nearly eight years in the House of Representatives, he could claim no real legislative accomplishments; he focused purely on disruption for disruption’s sake. Many in his own party found him reprehensible.The had investigated Mr Gaetz for the alleged sex-trafficking of an underaged woman. He denies the allegations and was never charged, but a probe by the House Ethics Committee has reportedly turned up sordid allegations about drug use and sex with prostitutes and a minor. Even if its report is never released, his confirmation hearings would have dwelt on those allegations—with in-person testimonies.The Senate’s approval seemed unlikely, even with the incoming Republicans’ majority. With all Democrats voting against, a nominee can only afford to lose three Republicans. By the time he was touring Senate offices, at least half a dozen seemed sure to vote no, meaning Mr Gaetz’s only path lay in a while Congress was out of session. That could have taken months—or prompted a constitutional crisis. Clearly Mr Trump did not believe the fight was worth it for the least popular man on Capitol Hill.It is not clear whether Mr Trump forced Mr Gaetz out or Mr Gaetz quit to salvage what was left of his reputation, but fighting on would have been damaging for all involved. Consider the dilemma facing Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican up for re-election in 2026. Voting for Mr Gaetz could very well endanger his bid for a third term in the competitive state. Voting against would have exposed him to a primary challenge from the right.The whole chaotic episode shows exactly what the president-elect desires in his attorney-general. In his pick of Ms Bondi, Mr Trump expects someone who is both loyal to him and committed to rooting out “deep state” enemies in the Justice Department—but without Mr Gaetz’s baggage.The next question is what happens with Mr Trump’s other heterodox nominees. Cabinet picks like Robert F. Kennedy junior (the prospective health secretary), Tulsi Gabbard (director of national intelligence) and Pete Hegseth (defence) received less scrutiny while the Senate focused on Mr Gaetz. Some, maybe even all, will get confirmed. But not before they sit through contentious hearings. Ms Gabbard is an apologist for figures such as Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s dictator, and Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president. Mr Kennedy is a .Most endangered is Mr Hegseth, a veteran and Fox News host. In addition to his s, he faces an allegation of sexual assault from 2017. Criminal charges were never filed against him in that case, and he says the encounter was consensual. Yet it caught the transition team by surprise. J.D. Vance, currently a senator and soon to be vice-president, acted as a “sherpa” for Mr Gaetz in the Senate and is now offering similar help to Mr Hegseth. He will hope he does not embarrass himself twice in front of his former colleagues.Less than three weeks after his victory, Mr Trump already runs the risk of misjudging his mandate. Getting a sycophantic destructionist like Mr Gaetz as attorney-general was probably not what voters had in mind on November 5th. An optimist might hope that Mr Trump would learn from this early misstep. Experience suggests he is likelier to make further reckless decisions in the months ahead.