Matt Gaetz News

Jimmy Patronis won a special election Tuesday in Florida's 1st Congressional District, bolstered by President Donald Trump's endorsement to fill a vacant seat in reliably Republican northern Florida and despite national Democrats pouring millions into the race. Patronis, the state's chief financial officer, fended off a challenge from Democrat Gay Valimont even though she far outraised and outspent him. He will fill the northwest Florida seat vacated by former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was chosen to be Trump's attorney general but withdrew from consideration amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied. Valimont benefited from the outrage of national donors alarmed by the early months of Trump's second term but was ultimately not able to pull off what would have been a massive upset in a district both Trump and Gaetz won by more than 30 points last year. The mood was celebratory at a waterfront restaurant in Pensacola, where congratulatory text messages were already lighting up Patronis' phone as early results were posted Tuesday night. Patronis worked the crowd of about 100 people shaking hands and giving hugs, his wife Katie and two sons in tow. In Florida's 6th Congressional District, Republican state Sen. Randy Fine won his race against Democratic challenger Josh Weil. Fine was on track for a much narrower victory than the 33-point margin by which Mike Waltz won the district in November, according to early returns.

Donald Trump carried by landslide margins just months ago. In the 6th District, which Trump won by 30 points in 2024, Democratic candidate Josh Weil, a local teacher, now trails Republican state Rep. Randy Fine by just 3 points according to a March poll from Trump’s campaign pollster Tony Fabrizio. The shift has rattled GOP leaders, who hoped to easily retain seats once held by Trump allies Matt Gaetz and Michael Waltz.

First Lady Melania Trump made an extremely bold fashion statement during the inauguration of her husband US President Donald Trump while sparking a widespread social media discussion about her distinctive outfit. According to Daily Beast, her most notable accessory was a dramatic wide brimmed black hat with a white ribbon which she wore throughout the indoor ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda.

Matt Gaetz, who withdrew as President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general ahead of the release of a House Ethics panel report that accused him of «regularly» paying for sex and using drugs, said that he was «starting to think about running for governor» next year in Florida.

Republican Mike Lawler pretty strongly defended House Speaker Mike Johnson ahead of the recent speakership vote while arguing that Republicans considering voting against him are literally ‘playing with fire’, reported USA Today. Mike Lawler actually criticized the previous removal of Kevin McCarthy by eight Republicans which was being led by Matt Gaetz while calling it ‘the single stupidest thing’ in politics.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s hardline Make America great again (Maga) base after the US president-elect chose an Indian-born entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan to be his adviser on artificial intelligence. The row has pitted Musk and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy against the Maga supporters, especially far-right political activist Laura Loomer and Matt Gaetz, the former Congress member and abortive nominee for attorney general. The clash is significant since immigration was the key issue in the 2024 US Presidential elections.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. WASHINGTON—They won, but barely. Republicans held on to control of the House of Representatives in November by one of the thinnest margins in the country’s history—even smaller than in the current Congress—a result that will have them walking a tightrope again for the next two years.

Donald Trump's Cabinet is still unclear after Republican senators spent much of December carefully dodging questions about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 's views on vaccines, accusations of sexual misconduct against Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard's 2017 meeting with then-President Bashar Assad of Syria. While some GOP senators have indicated they are all-in for Trump's picks, others have withheld support, for now, especially on some of his more controversial nominees.

The House Ethics Committee on Monday accused Matt Gaetz of “regularly” paying for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl, and purchasing and using illicit drugs all while the Florida Republican was a member of Congress.

Ginger Gaetz, 30, has been a steadfast supporter of her husband, former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, throughout various controversies. Despite allegations against him, she continues to stand by his side, sharing supportive messages and photos on her social media.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Some of President-elect Donald Trump’s top advisers in recent weeks warned him it would be problematic to nominate Kash Patel, one of his most loyal foot soldiers, to lead the FBI, even as it became increasingly clear Trump was leaning in that direction. They cautioned that Patel not only lacked the right experience, but they feared his embrace of controversial theories could hurt his chances at Senate confirmation, people familiar with the discussions said.

Trump 's team still hasn't signed agreements that are required to formally begin the transition process to the White House — meaning the government can't provide security clearances and briefings to incoming administration officials and the FBI can't screen his rush of picks for the Cabinet and other key posts. The importance of strenuous federal background screenings — and the fact that Trump's team has not been subjecting the president-elect's selections to such vetting — was evident on Thursday, when former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew as Trump's pick for attorney general following continued scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on whether he could be confirmed by the Senate. The continued delay on agreeing to start the formal transition process may eventually force senators to vote on Trump's choices without the benefit of the usual background checks. That process is designed to uncover personal problems, criminal histories and other potential red flags that would raise questions about a nominee's suitability for key jobs.

Donald Trump on Thursday named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name.Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial when he was accused — but not convicted — of abusing his power as he tried to condition U.S.

Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be US attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name. Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial when he was accused — but not convicted — of abusing his power as he tried to condition US military assistance to Ukraine on that country investigating then-former Vice President Joe Biden. She has been a chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers. Bondi is from Tampa and spent more than 18 years as a prosecutor. She was Florida's first female attorney general.

Donald Trump tapped Pam Bondi, a staunch ally who helped defend the ex-leader against impeachment, as US attorney general on Thursday following firebrand Matt Gaetz's withdrawal from the running. Gaetz's retreat amid sexual misconduct allegations signaled limits to Trump's power, even as the president-elect prepares to retake the White House with his Republican Party also in control of both chambers of Congress. The nomination of Bondi, a former Florida attorney general who served as a surrogate during the 2024 campaign and pushed to de-legitimize vote counting in swing state Pennsylvania in 2020, could be seen as a useful tool for Trump in his attempt to settle personal grievances.

Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general on Thursday, saying his confirmation was becoming a distraction. «There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General,» Gaetz, a Republican, wrote in a post on X. «Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.» The announcement came a day after the House Ethics Committee deadlocked on releasing a report into allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use by Gaetz, and after he met with Republican senators whose support would be needed to become attorney general.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. No wonder President-elect Trump demanded that his own party let him make recess appointments. It would allow his more unpopular Cabinet nominees, including the shockingly unfit Matt Gaetz, to bypass the normal Senate confirmation process.

US Presidential elections, even though the polls have been held more than a couple of weeks ago. These seats will be quite crucial for either party, if they want to increase their representation in the House. However, it will not lay significant impact on the overall political landscape as the Republicans will still be in position to maintain their lead in the House.

U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee is expected to discuss next steps on Wednesday in its investigation into President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general pick Matt Gaetz, two sources with knowledge of the panel's plans said. The sources were granted anonymity to discuss the bipartisan panel's inner workings. A growing number of Trump's fellow Republicans in the U.S. Senate, which has a constitutional duty to confirm or reject high-level presidential appointments, have called on the House panel to turn over its findings on allegations of sexual misconduct involving a teenager and drug use by Gaetz.