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Matt Gaetz drops bid for attorney general, the first setback for Trump’s presidency

Former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz has withdrawn from consideration to be attorney general, the first major setback for incoming President Donald Trump and a sign that there are still lines that Senate Republicans won’t cross.

“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. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1,” Mr. Gaetz posted on X Thursday afternoon.

Mr. Gaetz’s nomination to oversee the Justice Department had landed like a lead balloon in the Senate. Multiple Republican senators expressed shock and concern over the potential elevation of a man who until recently faced a Justice Department investigation into sexual misconduct allegations (he wasn’t charged). He bowed out from consideration just one day after taking initial meetings with a number of key GOP senators.

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