Matt Gaetz, a former U.S. Representative from Florida, resigned from Congress in November 2024 shortly after President-elect Donald Trump nominated him for the position of U.S. Attorney General. However, Gaetz withdrew from consideration for the role within days due to a lack of Senate support and growing controversy stemming from a House Ethics Committee report. The report accused him of paying for sex, including with a 17-year-old, and using illegal drugs during his tenure in Congress, though it did not find sufficient evidence to charge him with sex trafficking under federal law. Gaetz has denied the allegations. After withdrawing from the Attorney General nomination, Gaetz announced he would not return to Congress and started hosting a political talk show in early 2025. In January 2025, he indicated he was considering a run for governor of Florida in 2026. More recently, in October 2025, Gaetz recounted a "demoralizing" experience at an AIPAC donor event where lawmakers wore QR codes to solicit donations, highlighting his continued active presence in political circles though no longer in Congress.
