Opinion | Matt Gaetz: Trump’s Test Balloon in Congress

Yuan Media's Op-ed

By Editorial Board

The 2024 presidential election is over. President-elect Donald Trump has unveiled a flurry of cabinet appointments. Many are stirring controversy. The most contentious? Matt Gaetz as Attorney General.

Although Gaetz withdrew, his nomination as Attorney General shocked Washington, D.C. Who exactly Matt Gaetz is? Why did Trump name him? What’s the strategy behind it? Let's break it down.

Matt Gaetz, 42, is a former U.S. Representative from Florida. Born into a wealthy family, he fits the mold of a privileged entrepreneur's son. Gaetz was a high school debate champion and earned a law degree in college. After a brief stint at a commercial litigation firm, he won a seat in the Florida State House in 2010. In 2016, he successfully ran for Congress.

That same year, Trump was first elected President. Matt Gaetz quickly aligned himself with Trump.

At the time, Trump was an outsider with few allies in Washington. Gaetz saw an opportunity and seized it. He aligned himself with Trump, championing his actions on almost every conservative outlet. Whenever Trump faced challenges during his presidency, Gaetz stood by him. This included January 6th, when Trump stirred up the mob that stormed the Capitol.

Moreover, as a former debate champion, Gaetz’s advocacy for Trump was often sharp and strategic. While others might have vied for the title of Trump’s number-one cheerleader, Gaetz fully drank the Kool-Aid, throwing his unwavering support behind Trump at every turn.

It’s no secret that loyalty is the key factor in Trump’s judgment of those around him. By aligning himself closely with Trump, Gaetz quickly rose to prominence and became a well-known figure in Washington.

As a political celebrity, Gaetz drew people from all walks of life eager to connect and socialize with him. This brought both privilege and troubles.

Joel Greenberg, a guy with political ambitions to run for Congress in Florida, sought to reach his goal by frequently hosting parties with a bunch of lobbyists and other political muckety-mucks in Florida. Matt Gaetz, a Florida native and key figure in Trump’s orbit, was soon a regular guest at these gatherings.

These parties, popular for their mix of lobbyists, elected officials, and elites, were also notorious for drugs and women, including a girl under 18. Investigations revealed that fueled by alcohol and drugs, the parties turned into sex gatherings. Soon after, Greenberg was nabbed by federal authorities for various crimes, most notably for engaging in sex with the underage girl. He pled guilty to this offense and began providing authorities with information implicating Gaetz was doing the same thing. They had been involved together.

The Department of Justice launched a federal inquiry into Gaetz but ultimately dropped the case without explanation. The House Ethics Committee then took over. Allegations surfaced that Gaetz's sexual misconduct extended beyond his private life. There were allegations that Gaetz showed explicit photos and videos of nude women on his iPhone while on the House floor, a serious violation of regulations.

The investigation report faced delays and was set to be released after Gaetz was named Attorney General. The timing appeared deliberate. However, Gaetz resigned from Congress. By stepping down, he avoided being subject to the House investigation, as it no longer applied to a former member.

But there’s still the Senate. Presidential appointments require Senate approval. The Senate needed the investigation report for reference. The House held a vote to decide whether to release it to the Senate. They voted no.

The obstacle on Gaetz’s path to Attorney General seemed cleared. But solving one problem uncovered another. A New York Times reporter obtained a payment record linking Gaetz to paid sex. Amid the chaos, Gaetz withdrew from consideration as Trump’s Attorney General, ending the drama.

The audience wasn’t just ordinary people—it included Trump. To Trump, the main character was probably not Matt Gaetz but federal lawmakers on the Hill. Trump likely knew exactly who Gaetz was and what he’d done. But he doesn’t care. Instead, Trump used Gaetz as a test balloon, gauging who in Congress, especially within the GOP, dared to defy him.

The outcome seemed to please Trump: The DOJ neither cleared Gaetz nor declared him innocent. The House refused to release the investigation report. Few Senators were willing to comment on Gaetz’s appointment... Evidence showed neither branch of government had the courage to defy Trump.

Mike Pence, Liz Cheney, Chris Christie—you name it. Many Republicans once stood against Trump. The consequences they faced were chilling. The entire GOP saw it and took note. Who would dare play with fire and risk getting burned?

Regardless of the outcome, appointing a lawbreaking lawmaker to enforce the law sent a clear message from Trump: he will select exactly who he wants to select. It signaled his intent to reshape the Feds and reinforced his campaign promise to be his voters' retribution. Above all, it was a statement to the world—whether you like it or not, you can't stop him.