More than half of Senate Republicans, including several in senior leadership roles, privately express doubts about confirming former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., as attorney general, according to multiple sources who spoke to NBC News anonymously. Many believe there isn’t a viable path for his confirmation and indicate they would not support his nomination to lead the Department of Justice.
Majority of Senate Republicans have reportedly said privately that Matt Gaetz has no path to be confirmed as Attorney General
11/19/2024
Despite these concerns, President-elect Donald Trump’s team remains optimistic that Gaetz will secure confirmation, even if it requires a contentious fight.
NBC News consulted over 15 additional Republican insiders, many of whom echoed skepticism about Gaetz’s qualifications. Some estimated that up to 30 Senate Republicans view him as unfit for the role.
Meanwhile, Gaetz and Trump attorney Todd Blanche are moving forward with preparations for the Justice Department. Sources familiar with the plans confirmed that Blanche, if confirmed, would assume the No. 2 role, overseeing all U.S. attorney offices nationwide.
“President Trump and his team are focused on and confident in the confirmation of AG-designee Gaetz,” a source familiar with Trump’s thinking told NBC News.
Vice President-elect JD Vance and his aides have also been gauging senators' opinions on Gaetz over the past two days.
Trump announced Gaetz as his pick for attorney general on Wednesday, stating on Truth Social:
“Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System. Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations, and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.”
The announcement reportedly shocked many Republicans, except for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who had received prior notice from Trump.
Gaetz’s congressional tenure has been marred by controversy. He faced a Justice Department investigation regarding allegations of sex trafficking a 17-year-old girl—a case he has consistently denied and for which he has not faced criminal charges.
However, on Thursday, John Clune, an attorney representing the 17-year-old, wrote on X: “She was a high school student and there were witnesses” regarding the alleged incident.
Clune also urged the release of a House Ethics Committee report detailing its long-running investigation into Gaetz, which remains unresolved.
Moody’s downgrades US credit rating to Aa1 from Aaa
5/17/2025 4:55 AMYouTube, GOOGL, viewers will start seeing ads after ‘peak’ moments in videos
5/16/2025 7:55 PMCEOs say that just a fraction of AI initiatives are actually delivering the return on investment they expected
5/16/2025 7:51 PMOnly 9% of Americans have 10 times their annual income saved for retirement
5/16/2025 7:47 PM
Stay Updated
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest financial insights and news.
+With Unusual Whales
Get the best broker for options trading and earn Unusual Whales discounted! in cash with an eligible account deposit at tastytrade. Get an Unusual Whales bonus when you deposit $2000. Offer expires 3/31/25. Certain restrictions, terms and conditions apply.
Unusual Whales does not confirm the information's truthfulness or accuracy of the associated references, data, and cannot verify any of the information. Any content on this site or related pages are not intended to provide legal, tax, investment or insurance advice. Unusual Whales Inc. is not registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or any state securities regulatory authority. Nothing on Unusual Whales should be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any security by Unusual Whales or any third party. Options, investing, trading is risky, and losses are more expected than profits. Please do own research before investing. Please only subscribe after reading our full terms and understanding options and the market, and the inherent risks of trading. It is highly recommended not to trade on this, or any, information from Unusual Whales. Markets are risky, and you will likely lose some or all of your capital. Please check our terms for full details.
Any content on this site or related pages are not intended to provide legal, tax, investment or insurance advice. Unusual Whales Inc. is not registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or any state securities regulatory authority. Nothing on Unusual Whales should be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any security by Unusual Whales or any third party. Certain investment planning tools available on Unusual Whales may provide general investment education based on your input. You are solely responsible for determining whether any investment, investment strategy, security or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your personal investment objectives, financial circumstances and risk tolerance. You should consult your legal or tax professional regarding your specific situation. See terms for more information.