President-elect Donald Trump is working the phones on behalf of his would-be attorney general Matt Gaetz — but he's admitting privately there's a good chance it won't work, according to reports.
The controversial choice — a former congressman who is the subject of an Ethics committee probe and has called for the abolishment of the Department of Justice — is proving a tough sell to Republican senators.
Trump has apparently been calling members to plead Gaetz's case, the New York Times and Politico report, urging them to "give him a shot."
But "Trump has admitted that his besieged choice for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, has less than even odds of being confirmed by the Senate," the Times reported. "Trump has shown no sign of withdrawing the nomination, which speaks volumes about his mind-set."
The Times suggested Trump is using Gaetz to manipulate Republican senators into confirming a slate of otherwise unacceptable nominations by presenting the scandal-embroiled Floridian as the toughest sell.
"The strategy has ensured that little focus stays on any single scandal," the Times wrote. "The caravan moves quickly on to the next, and the next, creating an overall blurring and flattening effect."
Trump's other Cabinet choices have been Pete Hegseth, a Fox News personality who denies an accusation that he sexually assaulted a woman; Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine-denier who denies he sexually assaulted an employee, and Tulsi Gabbard, whom insiders fear will work for Russia as intelligence director.
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Politico reports Republican senators are wary of crossing Trump.
While the findings of the ethics probe remain unknown, an attorney for two women who testified against Gaetz said he attended sex parties fueled by illegal drugs.
Gaetz denies the accusations that he had sex with a minor.
According to the Times, "[Trump's] four choices would have had virtually no chance of confirmation in a Republican-held Senate in the Washington that existed before 2024."