"Protecting Gates" Trump Says "No Reconsideration of Nomination" Despite Prostitution Allegations

President-elect of the United States Donald Trump stated on the 19th (local time) that he is not reconsidering the nomination of Matt Gaetz, the nominee for Attorney General, who has been embroiled in controversy over allegations of sex trafficking of minors and drug use.

Matt Gaetz, the nominee for Attorney General in the second term of the Donald Trump administration. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

According to CNN and others, after observing SpaceX, the space company of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, launch the Starship for its sixth test flight of the Mars spacecraft in Boca Chica, Texas, Trump was asked by reporters whether he would reconsider Gaetz's nomination. He replied, "No." He did not answer further questions about what efforts he would make to secure Gaetz's Senate confirmation.

Gaetz, nominated last week by President-elect Trump as the Attorney General for the second administration, has been embroiled in controversy due to past investigations by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sex trafficking of minors and drug use during his time as a congressman. There is opposition not only from the Democratic Party but also within the Republican Party, arguing that the Attorney General position, which requires higher political neutrality and morality than other administration posts, is inappropriate for him.

Local media, including CNN, reported the previous day that two women testified to the House Ethics Committee acknowledging Gaetz's involvement in sex trafficking. One of them also claimed to have witnessed Gaetz having sexual relations with a 17-year-old minor at a party. Currently, there are calls in Congress for the House Ethics Committee to disclose the investigation details. The Ethics Committee is expected to hold a meeting on the 20th to review whether to release the report. However, Gaetz resigned from his congressional seat immediately after being nominated for Attorney General. This move has been analyzed as an attempt to halt the Ethics Committee investigation.

Gaetz, a key figure in the Republican hardline conservative group ‘Freedom Caucus,’ has been regarded as a divisive figure even within the party. He is a pro-Trump figure who advocates for America First and is a prominent far-right personality. He led claims of election fraud regarding the 2020 presidential election and participated in protests with the far-right group Proud Boys to overturn the results. President-elect Trump, who has been plagued by ‘judicial risks,’ has effectively chosen the most loyal of loyalists for the Attorney General position.

CNN and Axios reported the previous day that President-elect Trump has been directly calling senators to pressure them to confirm Gaetz. Republican Senator Kevin Cramer, who received a call from Trump, said, "He definitely wants Gaetz."