Reince Priebus shared that President-elect Trump saw the nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney general as a pointed gesture aimed at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI.
During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Priebus, who served as Trump’s first-term chief of staff, explained, “Trump wanted to make it clear that this decision wasn’t part of some strategic maneuver—it was exactly what he intended.”
Former congressman Matt Gaetz remains central to Trump’s political agenda
Priebus suggested that the nomination also reflected Trump’s frustration with those who backed his impeachment during his presidency. “He kept track of who stood against him, and most of those individuals are no longer in the House,” Priebus remarked. “For him, this move is about sending a strong message to the DOJ and the FBI.”
Gaetz, a former congressman, had been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations related to misconduct and drug use. However, the inquiry was dropped following his resignation, as the committee no longer had jurisdiction over him.
Despite this, there has been mounting pressure from lawmakers on both sides to make the findings public. Gaetz has consistently denied the allegations, and earlier statements from his office noted that the Justice Department had decided against pursuing charges in a separate investigation into sex trafficking.
Following a visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Priebus described the atmosphere there as highly focused on moving forward. “That place is driving the political agenda right now,” he said. “Concerns over nominations don’t seem to resonate—Trump and his team believe they’ve received a clear mandate.”
