President-elect Donald Trump is making calls to strengthen his pick to lead the Justice Department, Matt Gaetz, who has faced skepticism from some Republican senators, according to sources familiar with his push.
A transition official said Trump is “busing the phones” to Republican senators for their support on Gaetz’s behalf.
Separately, Vice President-elect JD Vance wrote in X that he helped Trump interview candidates, including some to lead the FBI. (The post was later removed.) Current FBI Director Christopher Wray’s term does not expire until 2027, 10 years after Trump appointed him, but he is preparing for the opportunity Trump may try to replace him.
Vance voted against President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees as they continue to be confirmed at the Capitol on Tuesday. He will return on Wednesday to speak with his fellow senators to support Trump’s intended nominees, including Gaetz and Pete Hegseth, whom he intends to become defense secretary.
Trump announced Gaetz as his pick about a week ago. Gaetz was the subject of a federal sex crimes investigation and has not been charged with any crime. The investigation has been plagued by concerns about the credibility of two key witnesses, or the lack of direct evidence implicating Gaetz, who has denied everything. mistake. A lawyer for those witnesses came forward to detail their testimony to the House Ethics Committee.
The Trump team knew from the beginning that getting the Senate to confirm Gaetz would be an “uphill battle” and that his confirmation would require a “full effort,” a transition official said. The official said Trump’s transition team knows Gaetz is the toughest confirmation they will have to fight to date.
When Trump first called Gaetz to inform him of his plan to nominate him as attorney general, Gaetz told Trump, “It’s all going to be an uphill battle,” according to a transition official.
“Trump told Gaetz he wanted to fight,” he said.
Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The transition team believes the worst-case scenario for them is that they support a letter co-signed by other Republican senators disapproving of the appointment of Sen. John Tun Gaetz, RSD, the recently elected Senate Majority Leader for the new Congress.
Multiple Republican senators said they received calls from Gaetz himself to discuss the nomination.
Sen. Kevin Cramer, according to RND, received a personal phone call from Trump urging him to support Gaetz. Trump “is always convincing and has earned capital from voters. I remain skeptical, but open as the process progresses,” Kramer said.
After winning the election by a landslide, Trump set a fast pace for candidates to nominate after taking office.
Trump is choosing his Cabinet faster than in 2016. On Tuesday, he announced his picks for 28 senior positions in his next administration, including the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security and Commerce. as well as his director of national intelligence and national security adviser, among others. As of November 19, 2016, since he was first elected president, Trump has announced only three people.
Trump is also picking up at a faster pace than Biden, who made his first choice a week after Election Day 2020, according to White House chief of staff Ron Klein. this year, Trump announced Just two days after Election Day, his first choice will be Susie Wiles chief of staff.
Trump is expected to meet with former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Tuesday morning, a transition official said. The official said that Carson and Trump are in close communication and that they expect Carson to be announced as Trump’s running mate soon.
It is not known whether Trump will choose a head of the Treasury Department, a prized Cabinet post. The choice of the weekend was heavy Elon Muskthe billionaire was recently tapped to co-chair the new “Department of Government Efficiency” and be a near-constant presence at Mar-a-Lago.
Musk had vouched for Howard Lutnick, Trump’s top transition adviser and billionaire financial services executive. top Trade business On Tuesday, it keeps the field of potential candidates open longer.