Trump cabinet latest updates: Republicans and Democrats call for ethics report into Matt Gaetz to be released
Donald Trump has picked his controversial MAGA ally to oversee the nation’s Justice Department
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz to be his attorney general continues to stun Congress following the announcement.
Gaetz, whose nomination requires Senate approval, resigned from his seat in the US House of Representatives in light of the news, Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed on Wednesday. This will effectively end the House Ethics probe into allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use made against him.
Republicans and Democrats are shocked by his nomination and there were audible gasps by House Republicans at a conference meeting on Wednesday when the news about Gaetz broke, according to Axios.
“I don’t think it’s a serious nomination for the attorney general,” Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said.
Senator Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, told The Independent the announcement sounded like a headline in a satire publication. “That was in The Onion,” he said.
Members of both parties have called for the report to be released.
Trump has also chosen former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio to join his administration. Gabbard is set to serve as the director of national intelligence while Rubio has been nominated to be secretary of state.
Meanwhile, the Republicans have gained control of the House, completing their trifecta.
Who is Pete Hegseth? The Fox News anchor turned nominee for Defense secretary
Secret Service agent fired for taking lover to Obamas’ Hawaii home and suggesting sex in Michelle’s bathroom
‘We are not a serious country’: Congress in shock after Gaetz tapped as Trump’s attorney general
Tulsi Gabbard claimed she was on a terrorist watchlist. She’s now set to lead America’s spy network
Will Matt Gaetz pass the Senate nomination process? He may not need to
RECAP: Republicans have full control of Washington
Republicans have won enough seats to control the U.S. House, completing the party’s sweep into power and securing their hold on U.S. government alongside President-elect Donald Trump.
A House Republican victory in Arizona, alongside a win in slow-counting California earlier Wednesday, gave the GOP the 218 House victories that make up the majority. Republicans earlier gained control of the Senate from Democrats.
With hard-fought yet thin majorities, Republican leaders are envisioning a mandate to upend the federal government and swiftly implement Trump’s vision for the country.
Read more here.
Republicans win 218 US House seats, giving Trump’s party full control of Washington
GOP now holds White House and has a majority in House and US Senate
Matt Gaetz’s nomination as attorney general sends shockwaves around Washington
Republicans and Democrats are stunned by Trump’s nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney general.
News of his appointment drew audible gasps from House Republicans at a conference meeting on Wednesday, according to Axios.
A House Republican described the response in the room as “stunned and disgusted,” the outlet reported.
“I’m sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing,” said Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins.
Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said Gaetz’s name “was not on my Bingo card.”
“I don’t think it’s a serious nomination for the attorney general,” she said.
Senator Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, told The Independent the announcement sounded like a headline in a satire publication. “That was in The Onion,” Welch said.
WATCH: Chicago mayor calls Trump a threat to Black families in direct message to president-elect
Why was Matt Gaetz investigated by the DOJ?
Matt Gaetz became part of a federal sex trafficking investigation targeting a former associate, Joel Greenberg. The pair were part of a group of Florida Republicans described in news reports as attending parties where participants used drugs and had sex with women who had been paid.
In 2021, Greenberg pleaded guilty to federal crimes including sex trafficking of a minor, identity theft, stalking, wire fraud, and conspiracy to bribe a public official, and received an 11-year sentence.
Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing.
In 2023, the Department of Justice declined to seek charges against the Florida congressman.
Gaetz was also the subject of a House ethics inquiry, featuring interviews with witnesses from the federal probe, who allege they attended the parties where Gaetz was allegedly present with women who were paid by Greenberg. A witness reportedly told investigators this summer Gaetz paid her for sex, which he denies.
The Republican has denied these claims and said the investigation is based on “lies intended solely to smear me.”
Gaetz’s resignation from Congress will end the House ethics investigation. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy claimed earlier this year Gaetz led a successful challenge to his leadership in an attempt to stop the ethics investigation.
Former Trump administration aide Cassidy Hutchinson claimed in a memoir Gaetz groped her on two occasions and tried to make a pass at her at Camp David.
Gaetz has denied the allegations but claimed the pair had once dated, which Hutchinson denies.
Trump’s win has been described as resounding. It was closer than you think
Kamala Harris failed to improve on President Joe Biden’s national performance in the 2020 election, earning 9 million fewer votes and losing swing states that the president carried just four years ago.
While media members and political experts are labeling Trump’s win sweeping - the fact is Harris really lost the election by less than a million votes in the key swing states. If those votes went her way, she’d be the president-elect today even without winning the popular vote.
President-elect Donald Trump won 3.2 million more votes than the Democratic nominee in the race for most total votes. Such a close popular vote is not unusual for the 21st century, where presidential elections have often come to a knife’s edge in recent years. A deeper look at the results in key states from the 2024 races shows just how close Harris could have made it to the presidency.
Trump’s win has been described as resounding. It was closer than you think
The vice president improved on Biden’s margins in some swing states, but Trump swept them all
WATCH: White House says Trump was 'gracious' in Biden meeting
Melania Trump likely won’t return to the White House. But she’s still a ‘constant voice in Donald’s ear’
Melania Trump is likely to spend most of her time away from the White House as first lady – but she is still “a constant voice” in her husband’s ear.
Instead, Melania will spend most of her time between New York City, where 18-year-old Barron is studying at NYU, and Palm Beach, Florida, sources familiar with her plans told CNN.
While the sources reportedly said that Melania’s preference is “not to be publicly involved,” she was also cited as “a constant voice in her husband’s ear, giving him advice.”
Melania ‘is still a constant voice in Trump’s ear’ despite likely White House absence
The returning first lady is expected to spend most of her time between New York City, where 18-year-old Barron is studying at NYU, and Palm Beach, Florida
Mike Pence is ‘literally praying’ that Trump doesn’t pardon the Jan 6 rioters
Former vice president Mike Pence, who became the target of a violent mob of Donald Trump supporters on January 6, 2021, said on Tuesday he prays that the president-elect maintains his commitment to the Constitution and does not pardon the rioters.
While speaking to an audience at the 2024 Dispatch Summit in Washington D.C., Pence, once again, said he hopes that Trump will view January 6 rioters in the same light he does, rather than patriots who were wrongly prosecuted.
“I don’t think the president should pardon anyone who assaulted a police officer at the United States Capitol on January 6,” Pence said on stage per The Dispatch.
Mike Pence is ‘literally praying’ Trump doesn’t pardon the Jan 6 rioters
Former vice president has rejected Trump’s narrative of January 6 yet still hopes the president-elect will change his perspective
Prosecutor failed to show that Musk’s $1M-a-day sweepstakes was an illegal lottery, judge says
The $1 million voter sweepstakes linked to billionaire Elon Musk was allowed to continue through Election Day because Philadelphia’s top prosecutor failed to show that it was an illegal lottery, a judge said in a new opinion.
District Attorney Larry Krasner had filed suit last month to try to have the sweepstakes shut down under Pennsylvania law.
“Although (Krasner) alleges that America PAC and Elon Musk ‘scammed’ people,” Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta wrote in the opinion Tuesday, “DA Krasner failed to provide any evidence of misuse beyond mere speculation.”
Prosecutor failed to show that Musk’s $1M-a-day sweepstakes was an illegal lottery, judge says
A Philadelphia judge said the $1 million voter sweepstakes linked to Elon Musk was allowed to continue through Election Day because prosecutors failed to show that it was an illegal lottery
California teacher suspended after profanity-laced rant against ‘treasonous scum’ Trump
Students at a California school have staged a protest after a history teacher was suspended following a profanity-laced rant about Donald Trump’s re-election.
The instructor, a history teacher at Valley View High School in Moreno Valley, called Trump a “rapist draft-dodging coward” during a lecture last Wednesday. A recording of the lecture was circulated on X/Twitter. Officials with the Moreno Valley Unified School District have not publicly identified him.
The teacher reportedly told his students that Black and Latino voters did not cast their ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris because she has “a vagina and uterus.”
Teacher suspended after profanity-laced rant against Trump
‘Can you end up with no human rights? Yes. Will it happen to you? Most likely not’ the teacher told students
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments