The abrupt withdrawal of former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz as President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general has been met with disappointment by Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser.
Bannon expressed concern that this development could pave the way for moderate and establishment Republicans to obstruct Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda.
Bannon, on his podcast, voiced his disappointment over the lack of support from some Senate Republicans for Trump's Cabinet picks, following what he termed as Trump's "landslide" election victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. As reported by Newsweek, Bannon had previously stated that Trump was poised to "hit the Justice Department with a blowtorch, and Matt Gaetz is that torch" if he was confirmed by the Senate.
Gaetz, a staunch Trump loyalist with limited professional legal experience, was nominated to head the Department of Justice (DOJ). This move was criticized as a sign that the president-elect might use the federal government to seek retribution next year. Gaetz reportedly assured senators concerned about his suitability for the role that he would not target Trump's political adversaries, such as MSNBC and former White House health official Dr. Anthony Fauci, in an attempt to alleviate their skepticism.
However, Gaetz, who was under a sexual misconduct investigation by the House Ethics Committee, allegedly withdrew his nomination after realizing he would not garner enough GOP support in the upper chamber to secure the 50 votes needed for confirmation. Bannon interpreted Gaetz's withdrawal as a "victory" for establishment figures like GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. He further stressed that the MAGA movement needs to be more ruthless to prevent the government from "Trump-proofing" next year.
Bannon's comments reflect a sense of urgency within the MAGA movement. "We've got to face the facts. There's blood in the water, and they smell the blood," Bannon said. "They understand that we could either all hang together, or we're going to hang separately. They get this. This is why they're going to try to drive wedges in and try to cull the herd."
McConnell was among at least five current and future GOP senators who expressed they would not support Gaetz for attorney general. The others included Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Oklahoma's Markwayne Mullin, and Senator-elect John Curtis of Utah. With the GOP controlling the upper chamber next year with a 53-47 seat majority, Gaetz could not afford more than three Republican senators to vote against his nomination.
Bannon also urged Trump and other MAGA figures to unite to overcome potential "speed bumps" they may face within the GOP and the Democratic Party. He described Gaetz as one of the "five horsemen of the Deep State apocalypse" who were in line to be part of the next administration, but now only four remain.
"Trump took a bullet to the head and won in a landslide. They don't hold the House, and they certainly don't take the Senate. It's all Trump," Bannon said. "And already they're reasserting themselves, they're reasserting non-MAGA."
Gaetz, on his part, stated that his nomination was "unfairly becoming a distraction" to the Trump-Vance transition team. The former congressman is still under scrutiny over allegations of sexual misconduct, which he vehemently denies.
Hours after Gaetz's withdrawal, Trump named former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his pick to lead the DOJ. Bondi, another Trump loyalist with decades of legal experience and none of the baggage of Gaetz, is expected to have a smoother path to confirmation by the Senate as the next attorney general. This move by Trump could be seen as a strategic decision to ensure the continuity of his MAGA agenda.
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