Before he can become Donald Trump’s attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) will need to face off with some potentially less-than-friendly faces to receive confirmation: Republican senators he’s previously antagonized.
With a 53-seat majority, the Senate GOP can only lose up to three votes and still clear a nominee if Democrats unanimously oppose them. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), for one, said Wednesday that Gaetz has “his work cut out for him to get a good, strong vote,” adding that “it’ll make for a popcorn-eating confirmation hearing.”
Gaetz has a history of speaking his mind when it comes to letting Senate Republicans know when he disagrees with them. Last year, he told Steve Bannon “the road to hell is paved by Republican sellout members of the United States Senate.”
Here’s a look at his previous clashes:
- <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51216" data-person-id="51216" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731625607527,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731625607527,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"51216\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51216\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"Mitch McConnell","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51216","personId":"51216","_id":"00000193-2ced-d190-abdb-aefdd49c0000","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
Mitch McConnell
: Gaetz hit the GOP Senate leader on social media Sunday for “depriving” Trump of recess appointments to his Cabinet during his first administration, calling it an “open act of hostility.” - <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51170" data-person-id="51170" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731625627919,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731625627919,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"51170\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51170\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"John Cornyn","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51170","personId":"51170","_id":"00000193-2cee-d73b-abdf-6cef24560000","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
John Cornyn
: In the same post in which he attacked McConnell, Gaetz asked the Texas senator who had been angling for majority leader if he would “continue the McConnell posture” toward recess appointments if he got the role. - <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/198817" data-person-id="198817" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731625639879,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731625639879,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"198817\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/198817\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"Markwayne Mullin","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/198817","personId":"198817","_id":"00000193-2cee-d73b-abdf-6cef53a50000","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
Markwayne Mullin
: Gaetz accused Mullin last year of “cashing in on public office” from stock purchases in a social media post. Mullin later hit back that Gaetz, whose father is a Florida state senator and multi-millionaire businessperson, was “living off of [his] daddy’s money.” But the Oklahoma senator said Thursday that though he and Gaetz have “had our differences,” he believes Trump has “done a really good job assembling the Cabinet together.” He added, “I’m going to treat Matt just I am every other nomination, they’ve got to go through the process” and “earn every vote.” - Thom Tillis: In an episode of his podcast FIREBRAND in February, Gaetz came after Tillis for his support for the $95 billion foreign aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, calling the North Carolina senator “foolish.”
- More broadly, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in 2022, Gaetz said any Republican senator who would support red flag laws, which allow judges to remove a firearm from a person they deem dangerous, would “betray” their voters and is “a traitor to the Constitution.” The GOP senators who voted for the bipartisan bill to address gun violence and will remain in the Senate to vote for Gaetz’s confirmation are <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51310" data-person-id="51310" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731625718598,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731625718598,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"51310\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51310\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"Shelley Moore Capito","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51310","personId":"51310","_id":"00000193-2cef-d190-abdb-aeff7be10000","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
Shelley Moore Capito
, <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/66858" data-person-id="66858" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731625726170,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731625726170,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"66858\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/66858\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"Bill Cassidy","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/66858","personId":"66858","_id":"00000193-2cef-d190-abdb-aeffa4340000","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
Bill Cassidy
, <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51168" data-person-id="51168" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731625956917,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731625956917,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"51168\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51168\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"Susan Collins","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51168","personId":"51168","_id":"00000193-2cf3-d73b-abdf-6cf3245a0000","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
Susan Collins
, Cornyn, <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/190615" data-person-id="190615" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731625972413,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731625972413,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"190615\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/190615\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"Joni Ernst","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/190615","personId":"190615","_id":"00000193-2cf3-d52f-a99f-6ff367c00000","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
Joni Ernst
, <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51186" data-person-id="51186" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731625983585,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731625983585,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"51186\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51186\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"Lindsey Graham","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51186","personId":"51186","_id":"00000193-2cf3-d73b-abdf-6cf3930e0006","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
Lindsey Graham
, McConnell, <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51218" data-person-id="51218" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731625998126,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731625998126,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"51218\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51218\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"Lisa Murkowski","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/51218","personId":"51218","_id":"00000193-2cf3-d52f-a99f-6ff3c8dc0000","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
Lisa Murkowski
, Tillis and <link-congress href="https://directory.politicopro.com/member/52983" data-person-id="52983" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"0000014b-3270-d4f3-a3cb-f3ffa8610000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff4161000e"},"cms.content.publishDate":1731626005858,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"cms.content.updateDate":1731626005858,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000179-e6ba-d193-a1f9-effa7fdf0000","_type":"0000014b-324d-d4f3-a3cb-f3ff415b0002"},"originalTemplate":false,"member":"{\"identifier\":\"52983\",\"url\":\"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/52983\",\"preferredName\":\"Sen. Todd Young (R-IN)\",\"isCommittee\":false}","text":"Todd Young","url":"https://directory.politicopro.com/member/52983","personId":"52983","_id":"00000193-2cf3-d190-abdb-aeffe9170000","_type":"353fe80b-e1b5-3663-85ca-add066ecafc0"}”>
Todd Young
.
Mia McCarthy contributed to this report.