Matt Gaetz

Matt Gaetz
Official portrait, 2020
Matt Gaetz
Born	Matthew Louis Gaetz II 7 5, 1982
Birthplace	Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, lawyer, political commentator
Known for	U.S. Representative for Florida's 1st congressional district (2017–2024); motion to vacate the chair against Speaker Kevin McCarthy (2023); nomination as U.S. Attorney General (2024)
Education	William & Mary Law School (J.D.)
Spouse(s)	Ginger Luckey (m. 2021)
Website	[[gaetz.house.gov gaetz.house.gov] (archived) Official site]

Matthew Louis Gaetz II (born May 7, 1982) is an American politician, lawyer, and political commentator who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 1st congressional district from January 2017 until his resignation in November 2024. A member of the Republican Party who has described himself as a libertarian populist, Gaetz represented a district encompassing Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties, along with portions of Walton County, in the Florida Panhandle. Before entering Congress, Gaetz served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2016. During his time in both chambers, he became known as a close ally of Donald Trump and a confrontational figure within Republican politics, most notably filing a motion to vacate the chair in October 2023 that led to the removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced Gaetz as his nominee for United States Attorney General, but Gaetz withdrew from consideration within a week amid opposition from members of his own party. Following his resignation from Congress, Gaetz transitioned into political media, hosting a weeknight talk show on One America News Network beginning in January 2025.

Early Life

Matthew Louis Gaetz II was born on May 7, 1982, in Hollywood, Florida. He is the son of Don Gaetz, a prominent Florida Republican politician who served in the Florida State Senate and rose to become its president, and the grandson of Jerry Gaetz, a politician in North Dakota. Gaetz was raised in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, in the heavily conservative Florida Panhandle region. The family home in Fort Walton Beach later gained a degree of public recognition when it was identified as the house used in the 1998 film The Truman Show.

Growing up in a politically active family shaped Gaetz's early interest in government and law. His father's career in the Florida legislature provided him with direct exposure to the workings of state politics from a young age. The elder Gaetz was a successful businessman in the healthcare industry before entering politics and eventually becoming one of the most powerful figures in Tallahassee during his time as Senate president.

Matt Gaetz attended public schools in the Fort Walton Beach area before pursuing higher education. The political environment of northwest Florida, a region dominated by military installations including Eglin Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Pensacola, influenced his later focus on defense policy and veterans' issues during his legislative career.

Education

Gaetz earned his Juris Doctor degree from the William & Mary Law School in Williamsburg, Virginia. After completing his law degree, he briefly worked in private legal practice before transitioning to a career in politics, following the path established by his father in Florida Republican circles.

Career

Florida House of Representatives (2010–2016)

Gaetz entered elected office in 2010 when he won a seat in the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 4th district. He succeeded Ray Sansom and served in the state legislature until November 2016.

During his tenure in the Florida House, Gaetz worked on a range of legislative issues. He introduced legislation related to ethanol fuel standards, sponsoring a bill that addressed the use of ethanol additives in gasoline sold in Florida.

Gaetz attracted national attention for his defense of Florida's controversial stand-your-ground law, which had become the subject of intense scrutiny following the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. In 2014, he supported an amendment that would have restricted journalists' access to records related to stand-your-ground cases, a proposal that drew criticism from press freedom advocates.

In early 2014, Gaetz addressed questions about a prior arrest and mug shot, publicly discussing the incident while deflecting questions about the circumstances of the arrest itself.

In 2016, as his father Don Gaetz prepared to leave the Florida Senate due to term limits, Matt Gaetz initially announced his intention to run for his father's state Senate seat. However, when U.S. Representative Jeff Miller announced his retirement from Congress, Gaetz shifted his sights to the federal level, launching a bid for Florida's 1st congressional district instead and handing the state Senate race to George Gainer.

U.S. House of Representatives (2017–2024)

Election to Congress

Gaetz won the 2016 general election for Florida's 1st congressional district, defeating Democratic candidate Steven Specht. He was subsequently re-elected in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024, representing the district from January 3, 2017, until his resignation on November 13, 2024. He succeeded Jeff Miller in the seat.

Legislative positions and style

From the outset of his congressional tenure, Gaetz positioned himself as an outspoken and confrontational member of the Republican caucus. He became one of the most prominent congressional allies of President Donald Trump during Trump's first term, frequently appearing on cable news to defend the administration's positions.

In February 2017, Gaetz held a series of town hall meetings in his district that drew significant attention. At a town hall event, he was met by protesters and constituents who challenged him on a variety of issues. During one session in Santa Rosa County, Gaetz engaged directly with demonstrators on matters of policy. At another town hall, Gaetz called on Trump to release his tax returns, a position that set him apart from many of his Republican colleagues at the time. He also expressed concern about individuals he characterized as paid disrupters at his town hall events.

On environmental policy, Gaetz was identified as a member of what observers termed the "climate denier caucus" in the 115th Congress, a grouping of lawmakers skeptical of mainstream climate science.

In early 2017, Gaetz co-sponsored H.R. 861, a bill proposing the termination of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Mueller investigation and related actions

During the Special Counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, Gaetz emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the inquiry. In November 2017, he was among a group of Republican lawmakers who introduced a resolution calling for Mueller's removal as Special Counsel, arguing that Mueller had conflicts of interest that compromised the investigation. The effort was co-sponsored by several other House Republicans.

Motion to vacate the chair (2023)

In October 2023, Gaetz filed a motion to vacate the chair against Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, an unprecedented move that ultimately succeeded. The motion, which required the support of Democrats to pass, led to McCarthy's removal as Speaker — the first time in American history that a sitting Speaker had been ousted through such a procedure. The action cemented Gaetz's reputation as a disruptive force within Republican Party politics and deepened divisions within the House Republican conference.

Resignation from Congress

On November 13, 2024, following President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that he intended to nominate Gaetz as United States Attorney General, Gaetz resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives. Despite having won re-election to the 119th United States Congress just days earlier, Gaetz submitted a letter of resignation effective immediately. He was succeeded by Jimmy Patronis.

Attorney General nomination (2024)

On November 13, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Gaetz to serve as United States Attorney General. The announcement was met with surprise and, in some cases, open opposition from members of the Republican caucus in the U.S. Senate, who would have been required to confirm the nomination. Concerns centered on Gaetz's qualifications for the role, his lack of prosecutorial experience, and the ongoing ethical controversies surrounding him.

One week after the announcement, Gaetz withdrew himself from consideration for the position, stating that his nomination had become a distraction. The withdrawal ended what had been one of the most contentious cabinet nomination episodes of the presidential transition period.

Media career (2025–present)

Following his departure from Congress, Gaetz transitioned into political media. In January 2025, he began hosting The Matt Gaetz Show, a weeknight political talk show airing on One America News Network (OAN).

In December 2025, Gaetz appeared as a member of the Pentagon press corps at a briefing, wearing his former congressional jacket to the event.

Personal Life

Gaetz married Ginger Luckey in 2021. In August 2025, the couple welcomed their first child together.

Gaetz has described his political philosophy as libertarian populist. Throughout his career, he has maintained close ties to the Florida Panhandle community where he was raised, and his political identity has been closely associated with the region's conservative, military-connected constituency.

Investigations and Ethics Inquiries

In 2020, Gaetz became the subject of a federal investigation into allegations of child sex trafficking and statutory rape. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) conducted an investigation but ultimately decided not to bring criminal charges against him.

In December 2024, the House Ethics Committee released a report on its inquiry into Gaetz's conduct. The report found evidence that Gaetz had paid for sex — including with a 17-year-old — and had used illegal drugs during his tenure as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The committee report did not find sufficient evidence that Gaetz had engaged in sex trafficking as defined under federal law.

In January 2026, the Florida Bar reviewed the findings of the House Ethics Committee report but declined to reprimand or discipline Gaetz for the alleged conduct, concluding that the allegations did not warrant action with respect to his law license.

Gaetz has denied the allegations throughout the investigations.