Former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-Fla.) political future is up in the air following his announcement that he is taking his name out of the running to be attorney general in the Trump administration.

Gaetz was under intense scrutiny over past investigations by the Justice Department (DOJ) and the House Ethics Committee. The DOJ was investigating Gaetz as a part of a broad sex trafficking probe, including allegations involving underage women, though it declined to file charges. Gaetz has vigorously denied those accusations. The former congressman was also the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and drug use.

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“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz wrote on social platform X.

Here are five possibilities for what could come next for Gaetz.

Another role in Trump administration

While Gaetz took himself out of the running to be attorney general, President-elect Trump still could appoint him to an administration post, in the White House or elsewhere, that would not require a Senate confirmation hearing.

By choosing Gaetz, Trump would have a high-profile defender in his administration without having to go through a messy confirmation process. Senate Republicans were warning that confirmation hearings on Gaetz would be like “Kavanaugh on steroids,” referring to the hearings in 2018 for now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

If Gaetz were to take on another role in the Trump administration, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) would have to set a date for a special election for Gaetz’s seat in the state’s 1st Congressional District.

DeSantis has already instructed the Florida secretary of state to set a schedule for the special election, but a date........

© The Hill