President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney general has caused a political firestorm even within the Republican party, with several figures speaking against the decision, whether publicly or privately.
Among those who did so publicly is John Bolton, who was assistant to the president for national security affairs (NSA) during the first Trump administration. Bolton didn't mince words, saying Gaetz's was "the worst nomination for a cabinet position in American history."
"This is something that falls well outside the proper scope of deference to a President nominating members of his senior team. Gaetz is not only totally incompetent for this job, he doesn't have character or the civic virtue the Founding Fathers wanted. The Republican party should oppose this nomination," Bolton added in a publication on X.
Gaetz reacted humorously to the message, replying on the same platform "we'll mark John down as a 'maybe.'"
We’ll mark John down as a “maybe” https://t.co/CJ6flJXwzW
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 15, 2024
Bolton is not a senator nor is he set to have a role in the upcoming Trump administration, so his words might not sway the ultimate decision, but he is far from the only one opposing the nomination.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told reporters on Thursday that enough Republican senators are unwilling to confirm Gaetz. He said he could name five to 10 Senate Republicans who were likely to vote against Gaetz' nomination. Speaking to CBS News, he also stated that he would advocate for the release of a House Ethics Committee report about Gaetz in which he is being investigated for having sex with a minor.
"Matt Gaetz' nomination alone is likely to bring chaos to the Department of Justice because it will prompt major resignations among the professionals who have no intention of serving with an attorney general interested in pyrotechnics and acting rather than real law enforcement. I am going to demand release of the Ethics Committee report. All of its findings and recommendations," Blumenthal said.
Following the 2024 elections, the GOP gained a majority in the upper house of Congress, with the Senate now including 53 Republican senators. Needing a simple majority to be confirmed, Gaetz can only afford to lose three Republican votes (assuming the remaining Democratic and Independent senators all vote against his confirmation.)
But despite Blumenthal's words, several Republicans could be forcibly swayed by their peers to refrain from letting their personal opinions interfere with Trump's plans.
One of those who issued such a warning is Sen.Tommy Tuberville from Alabama, who said that those who vote against the nominations could be removed from their posts.
"Everybody's got an opinion up here but at the end of the day, President Trump was elected by an enormous vote, and he deserves the team around him that he wants. It's not up to us to determine that," Tuberville said during a Wednesday appearance on Fox Business.
"Vote with President Trump," Tuberville added "This is the last chance we're going to have to save this country. And if you want to get in the way, fine. But we're going to try to get you out of the Senate, too, if you try to do that."
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