Trump picks Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Marco Rubio for secretary of state

Gaetz represents much of the Florida Panhandle and became a conservative star when he joined Congress, appearing as a frequent staunch defender of Trump on cable news.He irked fellow GOP members in early 2023 when he filed the resolution that successfully ousted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and the Justice Department ended its own sex trafficking investigation without bringing charges against him.House Republicans first got wind of the nomination during a private meeting and initially thought the news was a joke before realizing Trump had indeed named Gaetz to serve as the nation's chief law officer.GOP Rep. Max Miller told reporters the shock in the room was more a reflection of members' happiness that the Florida Republican will no longer be a member of the chamber after years of instigating intraparty battles.Even Trump’s allies in the Senate were keeping their distance.“We’ll see,” said Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin when asked whether he would vote to confirm the congressman.Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who serves on the committee that will take up the Gaetz nomination, said it would be "the first test of whether Republicans are willing to stand up to Donald Trump and go with conscience and conviction as opposed to just politics.”The announcement came shortly after Trump confirmed that he had picked Rubio, a conservative lawmaker, as the nation’s top diplomat. He and other lawmakers contend that Beijing could demand access to the data of users whenever it wants.“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement.Trump made the personnel announcements while flying back back to Florida from Washington after meeting with President Joe Biden.The president-elect had been expected to pick Rubio for the post, but had also faced pressure from people pushing Ric Grenell, who served as acting director of national intelligence during Trump’s first administration.Grenell responded to the news on on X, writing, “Congratulations, Senator. Both Vice President-elect JD Vance and Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr. had been advocating for her to get a position in the administration, after she grew close with them during the campaign.She helped prepare Trump for his debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, announced she was becoming a Republican at a Trump rally during the race’s final stretch, and received huge cheers from his crowds at events.Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider, compared to her predecessor.