matt gaetz holding a yard sign
(Mario Tama/Getty Images)

‘Very focused on getting Gaetz’: New York Times journalist reveals Trump’s true intentions for Matt Gaetz

Donald Trump publicly doesn’t seem to care that no one wants Matt Gaetz as Attorney General. Maggie Haberman revealed to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that Trump is singing a different tune about Gaetz’s chances in private.

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According to Haberman, Trump has said privately “in discussions with people that he thinks Gaetz’s chances of getting confirmed are … the odds are less than 50% or less than even.” She went on to claim that he is talking with people trying to get Gaetz over the line and for him to get the support he needs for the appointment.

Haberman did also point out that Trump is calling senators and others to try and push through all his controversial picks for his cabinet. But that doesn’t mean that Trump isn’t thinking about others who can take the job if Gaetz and company are not confirmed. “They’re not talking openly about replacements but they have a number of options, who they have looked at. The AG post, the Attorney General post, as you know Kaitlan is one of the most important to President-Elect Trump.”

Trump not openly speaking about his true feelings on Gaetz is not surprising. He has a reputation for pretending like he is the best at everything and everything he does is perfect. So why would he openly talk about the chances of someone he picked not making it in his cabinet? That’s not who Trump is. Haberman says that Todd Blanche could be AG otherwise.

But knowing that Trump is aware that the likelihood of Gaetz not being nominated is high, it is very telling. Gaetz is controversial for many reasons but his role as Attorney General would put him in a position of power he is not qualified for. Which is probably why he wants him in that position.

All Trump does is lie publicly

This is just another case of Trump lying to the American public and speaking his truth behind closed doors. While he hasn’t been overly confident about his cabinet, the way that it has been reported, you’d think all of these people are already in power. Trump is not even in office yet. So the fact that he is trying to get Gaetz support and is saying that he is less than half confident it’ll work out is telling.

I think Trump’s picks for his cabinet are terrifying and horrific but I also have hope that most of them will not be confirmed given their lack of knowledge and experience. We won’t know until the official nominations come in. Currently, Trump and his team are trying to get them appointed via a recess appointment (since the Senate is not in session).

Honestly, if Trump is talking about how low Gaetz’s chances are behind closed doors, maybe there is hope that we won’t see a Gaetz’s appointment. But then again, Trump unfortunately bullies people into doing his bidding so I’m not going to hold my breath, even if I am terrified of what this cabinet is going to be.


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Rachel Leishman
Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She's been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff's biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she's your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell's dog, Brisket. Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.