US President-elect, Donald Trump has announced that he would nominate controversial Florida congressman Matt Gaetz as the US Attorney General.
Trump made the announcement on Wednesday, November 13, putting a far-right loyalist in one of the most powerful positions in the US government.
In his announcement on Truth Social, Trump emphasized that Gaetz would “end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations, and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.”
As Attorney General, Gaetz would automatically become the country’s chief law enforcement officer and oversee the legal positions that the government takes on key issues, including abortion, civil rights laws, and the First Amendment.
Gaetz, 42, is under the subject of an ethics investigation over claims of sexual misconduct, bribery, and drug use - which he denies - and was also the focus of unsubstantiated sex trafficking claims involving a 17-year-old girl. The appointment has sparked major fury among Trump’s opponents.
Trump announced his decision just minutes after issuing a statement saying he will nominate Tulsi Gabbard, who infuriated critics with claims about 'biolabs' in Ukraine, to be Director of National Intelligence. He has also chosen Fox News host Pete Hegseth to run the Defense Department.