WASHINGTON –
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday named Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., as his nominee for attorney general, a provocative move to install a compliant ally at the helm of the Justice Department as he seeks retribution against those who prosecuted him.
The pick reflected Trump’s determination to choose as the nation’s top law enforcement official a fierce defender who would not resist his directives or question his claims, as Bill Barr, his last confirmed attorney general, did in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
If Gaetz is confirmed by the Senate — no sure thing given the widespread bipartisan animosity toward him — his ascension to a powerful Cabinet post would represent a remarkable turnabout that mirrors Trump’s own whipsaw political comeback.