CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig argued Thursday that Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz is “woefully unqualified” to serve as attorney general under President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming administration.
Trump announced that he appointed Gaetz to be the next attorney general in a Wednesday statement on Truth Social. While speaking with a panel on Trump’s appointments, Honig argued that the Florida congressman has no experience as a prosecutor and has spent little time practicing law.
“To me, the Gaetz nomination tells us something bigger about what Donald Trump is planning to do,” Honig said. “I mean, let’s start from this premise, tell me if anyone disagrees: Matt Gaetz is woefully unqualified to be attorney general of the United States … He’s barely practiced law for a couple of years, he’s never been a prosecutor for one day.”
CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings noted that many individuals in government receive a role they may not be qualified for on paper, and further argued that a person is qualified for their position if the president nominates them and the Senate confirms them.
Honig claimed that Gaetz only received this nomination because of his loyalty to Trump, citing his biography where he touts being a staunch supporter of the president-elect. Other members of the panel agreed that the primary qualification to earn a nomination or cabinet position is showing loyalty to Trump.
“To be sure, elections have consequences, you get in to try and select your person. But just on paper … not qualified,” Honig continued. “So then why? Why are we nominating somebody who’s not qualified? I think we saw a clip, [Kasie Hunt] played a clip earlier of him saying ‘I’m gonna blow it up, I’m gonna get rid of the [Drug Enforcement Administration],’ he doesn’t even know what that means, ‘get rid of the DEA.’ Do we care about enforcing drug laws at the border? He’s over his head, and why would Trump choose somebody who’s over his head?”
“Because he’s qualified in one respect, being loyal to the president, that is the first qualification in this new administration,” CNN chief national affairs correspondent Jeff Zeleny replied.
Jennings further noted that Trump nominated Gaetz to test his power among Senate Republicans as the president-elect will likely have a more difficult time getting the chamber’s approval of his agenda.
Gaetz became the subject of an investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) over Seminole County, Florida, tax collector Joel Greenberg’s allegations that the congressman paid him to arrange sexual encounters with young women through Venmo, though that was no part of Greenberg’s plea deal when he pleaded guilty in May 2021 to sex trafficking a minor, identity theft and fraud. The DOJ announced in February 2023 that Gaetz would not be charged with any crimes relating to Greenberg’s allegations.
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