Gaetz had not previously been introduced as a candidate, leading his announcement to come as a complete surprise from Republican elected officials. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) called the nomination “an uff da,” a humorous Midwestern phrase for hearing bad news.

The plan to appoint Gaetz as attorney general was reportedly hatched just hours before his announcement, as Trump flew to Washington. Republican strategist Boris Epshteyn was a leading advocate, and Gaetz was a passenger on the plane when the plan was formulated.

Observers have sought to understand the controversial choice, suggesting a wide range of theories, from an elaborate loyalty test to a serious proposal.

Here are the main theories circulating around Trump’s most controversial nomination:

Trump wants Gaetz

The Occam’s Razor problem-solving principle dictates that the simplest explanation for Trump’s nomination of Gaetz is that the president-elect simply wants him to be attorney general.

Trump and Gaetz have similar grudges against the Justice Department, both having been targets of DOJ investigations. At the heart of Trump’s decision to nominate Gaetz was his belief that the former Florida congressman would vigorously investigate those who investigated him.

The choice of Gaetz also fits into the common theme of the new appointments: valuing loyalty above all else. Trump’s last two attorneys general, Jeff Sessions and Bill Barr, both fell out with him over a perception of disloyalty. Trump likely believes Gaetz would be fully loyal to him in his new role.

If he ascends to this position, Trump will have a loyal attack dog ready to carry out his promise. »punishment» against those who he believes have wronged him.

Evidence of Trump’s desire for Gaetz to become attorney general was provided by Trump insiders at Rampartwho published the article aptly titled “Donald Trump Is Very Serious About Bringing Matt Gaetz to the DOJ.”

“None of the lawyers had what Trump wanted, and they didn’t talk like Gaetz,” a Trump adviser told the outlet. “Everyone looked at AG like he was applying for a judicial appointment. They talked about their vaunted legal theories and constitutional bulls***. Gaetz was the only one saying, “Yeah, I’m going to go out there and start cutting off some fucking heads.” »

According to the outlet, it’s no coincidence that Gaetz’s choice came as a shock to Republicans: he was not yet on the shortlist as of Monday.

Trump is also reportedly looking for ways to circumvent the Senate approval process, which alludes to by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY).

Trump uses Gaetz as sacrificial lamb

Under one version of this theory, Trump believes that Gaetz’s nomination is dead on arrival. The real goal of his nomination is to give cover to the centrist wing of Senate Republicans ahead of the 2026 elections, allowing them to appear independent and principled by rejecting Trump’s nominee.

The other version of this theory is that Gaetz is being used as a sacrificial lamb to push through a slightly more centrist attorney general pick. Policy reported that several elected Republican officials subscribe to this theory.

The focus on Gaetz notably dispelled previous outrage over Trump’s other Cabinet nominees — Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence. To show that the Senate is not in Trump’s pocket, senators can show strength by rejecting Gaetz’s nomination, but then let other controversial choices pass.

THE Washington Examiner Tiana Lowe Doescher subscribes to the version of the theory that Trump is giving cover to centrist Senate Republicans.

“As a sacrificial lamb, Gaetz’s appointment may very well be intended to fail to protect the centrist wing of the party when political opponents try to accuse them of approving all of Trump’s appointments,” she says. wrote.

“In other words, Gaetz’s nomination could be so far-fetched and unbelievable because it’s supposed to be,” she added. “Gaetz could be the lightning rod designed to absorb all the outrage that Democrats and their consigliers in the media were going to exude anyway, a fall man to deliver the crucial Senate votes into political coverage in 2026, and a reminder to public that Trump will never cease to surprise us.”

THE Washington Examiner has contacted Gaetz for comment.

Trump puts Senate Republicans to loyalty test

This theory, first launched by New York Times Columnist Ezra Klein calls on Trump to offer his own test of the Kobayashi Maru. This famous test, featured in Star Trek, presented commanders with an impossible situation, intended not to be solved but rather to show how the subject would react to an impossible scenario.

In this version, the president-elect offers a loyalty test to Senate Republicans, whose loyalties are at stake after choosing Sen. John Thune (R-SD) as their new leader, despite Trump’s preference for Sen. Rick Scott (R-SD). R-FL). Trump’s allies see it as a test of whether they will fulfill the popular mandate he won, while detractors see it as a test of who still has principles.

Thune said he would approve recess appointments if elected Senate leader. His word will now be tested. Republicans loyal to Trump will endorse Gaetz despite any personal objections, while those who vote against him will be seen as disloyal.

Klein said Trump believed Gaetz’s nomination was intentionally absurd.

“Demanding Senate Republicans to support Gaetz for attorney general and Hegseth for defense secretary is the 2024 version of forcing Sean Spicer to say this was the largest inauguration crowd ever,” Klein said in an article on X. “It’s not just nominations. These are fidelity tests. The problem is the absurdity.

Trump wants to humiliate the Senate

A theory similar to the loyalty test theory, this holds that Trump is intentionally trying to humiliate the Senate. From this perspective, Trump will remain true to his election promise to be a “revenge” of voters, punishing the Senate by offering members the prospect of confirming a choice they personally oppose or vote against, risking thus the anger of their pro-Trump bases. .

Under this theory, serious debate over whether to approve Gaetz would delegitimize the Senate, placing it further under his sway.

Former national security adviser John Bolton compared Gaetz’s appointment to the legend of Roman Emperor Caligula appointing his horse as consul.

“You had to be a Roman senator at the time to be consul, and this was intended to show how humiliated and degraded the Roman Senate had become,” he said, ridiculing Gaetz as “the worst appointment ever Ministerial History”.

Axios describe Gaetz as “Trump’s middle finger to critics.”

Trump gives Gaetz a way out of his expected ethics report

This theory, very widespread among elected Republican officials, according to Policyto Gaetz preventive resignation as a way to evade the possible publication of his report on the ethics of the House. The House was expected to vote on whether the report would be released soon.

The House Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz will now cease, because he is no longer a member of Congress, and the report likely will not be released. A previous DOJ investigation was abandoned due to lack of evidence.

Although the jury is out on whether Trump was aware of the new ethics report, this theory holds that the president-elect was very aware of it and gives his longtime ally a respectable way out of Congress before its release.

This theory has been associated with the “sacrificial lamb” theory, with Trump getting something in return. Gaetz will bypass his ethics report, while Trump will be able to push through a slightly more centrist nominee for attorney general, one who previously would have seemed too radical if not considered over Gaetz.

A more outlandish version becomes more technical: some believe that Gaetz could resign from this Congress only to return to office in January 2025, when the next Congress is sworn in.

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In earning his reputation as a firebrand, Gaetz also became one of the most hated men in the House, forming an infamous personal rivalry with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. He was instrumental in overthrowing McCarthy, which led to his retirement from the House.

Some joked that Trump was doing another ally, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), a favor by impeaching one of the House’s most vocal members.