Nov 13, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Trump's middle finger: Gaetz for attorney general

Illustration of a raised middle finger wearing a red tie — Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

President-elect Trump, baffling even his Republican backers, walked out of today's transition-to-power meeting with President Biden and announced he'll nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as attorney general.

This came minutes after Trump named former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to head the U.S. intelligence community — and just over 20 hours after he picked "Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host Pete Hegseth to run the Pentagon.

Why it matters: Trump is taunting his critics with three highly controversial picks for three of the most important jobs in the land.

Zoom in: Gaetz, who is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for sexual misconduct, is a MAGA provocateur and Trump loyalist despised by many of his colleagues.

If he's confirmed, will head the Justice Department, which last year decided not bring to charges against him over sex trafficking allegations,
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, secretly met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017 and blamed the U.S. and NATO for Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Hegseth, a decorated Army veteran, lobbied Trump to pardon U.S. service members accused of war crimes and has argued women should not serve in combat roles.

Between the lines: The Gaetz pick is a particular affront to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted in a hardliner rebellion engineered by the Florida congressman last year.

McCarthy has accused Gaetz of a personal vendetta because of the congressional ethics investigation.

Go deeper: Republicans "stunned and disgusted" as Trump taps Matt Gaetz for AG

Add Axios on Google

Trump's middle finger: Gaetz for attorney general

What to read next