Matthew Louis Gaetz II is an American politician and lawyer who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 1st congressional district from 2017 until his resignation in 2024. His district included all of Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties, and portions of Walton County. Gaetz is a member of the Republican Party and a self-described libertarian populist and is widely regarded as a proponent of far-right politics as well as an ally of Donald Trump.
The son of prominent Florida politician Don Gaetz and grandson of North Dakota politician Jerry Gaetz, Gaetz was raised in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After graduating from William & Mary Law School, he briefly worked in private practice before running for state representative. He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 until 2016, and received national attention for defending Florida's "stand-your-ground law". In 2016, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and was re-elected in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024.
Gaetz's tenure as congressman was controversial. In 2020, he was accused of child sex trafficking and statutory rape over claims that he paid a 17-year-old girl to travel across state lines so that he could engage in sexual acts with her. Following an investigation, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) decided not to pursue charges, finding the evidence against him insufficient. A Florida Bar Association criminal complaint regarding this issue was filed in 2024 but subsequently dismissed. Prior to his resignation as representative, Gaetz was also under ethics investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations of underage sexual abuse, illegal drug use, sharing inappropriate images and videos on the House floor, misusing state identification records, converting campaign funds for personal use, and accepting impermissible gifts. Gaetz denied all of the allegations. In October 2023, Gaetz filed a motion to vacate the position of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, resulting in the removal of Kevin McCarthy from his role as Speaker. Gaetz's actions in leading the motion were part of broader tensions within the Republican Party, with many members critical of McCarthy's leadership and handling of various legislative matters.
President-elect Donald Trump announced he would nominate Gaetz to serve as United States attorney general on November 13, 2024. Gaetz resigned from the House of Representatives shortly after the announcement. His nomination led to surprise, alarm, and negative reception from some Senate Republicans. A week later, he withdrew himself from the nomination. Gaetz is eligible to re-enter the House upon the start of the 119th United States Congress, having already won reelection before his resignation, but he has said that he does not intend to do so.
