President-elect Donald Trump and members of his transition team were informed that Matt Gaetz would be withdrawing his name from consideration for attorney general before the official announcement was made, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The decision to withdraw Gaetz's name reportedly stemmed from concerns about potentially damaging information that could be revealed in a House ethics report. Sources indicated that individuals close to Gaetz had learned of additional witnesses who had been interviewed by the committee, raising further concerns.
While Gaetz's meetings with GOP senators were described as not negative, it became apparent that there was significant opposition among senators to his potential nomination. The emerging details from the ethics report were seen as likely to make Gaetz's confirmation as attorney general unattainable.
