Matt Gaetz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matt Gaetz
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 2017 – November 13, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Jeff Miller |
| Succeeded by | Jimmy Patronis |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 4th district |
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| In office April 13, 2010 – November 8, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Ray Sansom |
| Succeeded by | Mel Ponder |
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| Born |
Matthew Louis Gaetz II
May 7, 1982 Hollywood, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Ginger Luckey
(m. 2021) |
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Matthew Louis Gaetz II (born May 7, 1982) is an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2017 to 2024, representing a district in northwest Florida. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Gaetz is known as a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump. In October 2023, he led a successful effort to remove Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the House. The Speaker is the leader of the House of Representatives.
In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced he would nominate Gaetz to be the U.S. Attorney General. The Attorney General is the top lawyer for the United States government. Gaetz resigned from Congress after the announcement. However, he withdrew his name from consideration a week later and started a political talk show.
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Early Life and Education
Matthew Louis Gaetz II was born in Hollywood, Florida, on May 7, 1982. His father, Don Gaetz, was also a well-known politician in Florida. His grandfather, Jerry Gaetz, was a politician in North Dakota.
Gaetz grew up near Fort Walton Beach, Florida. He graduated from Florida State University in 2003. He then went to law school at the College of William and Mary and became a lawyer in 2008. After law school, he worked for a law firm in Florida.
Political Career
Florida House of Representatives
Gaetz began his political career in 2010. He won a special election to join the Florida House of Representatives. This is part of the state government of Florida. He was reelected several times and served there until 2016.
While in the Florida legislature, Gaetz became known for his strong conservative views. He was a major supporter of Florida's "stand-your-ground law," which deals with self-defense. He also worked on laws related to the justice system and fuel standards.
U.S. House of Representatives
Getting Elected to Congress
In 2016, Gaetz decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. This is part of the federal government in Washington, D.C. He won the Republican primary election and then won the general election in November 2016. His district in Florida is strongly Republican, which helped him win easily.
Time in Congress
In Congress, Gaetz quickly became one of President Donald Trump's most vocal supporters. He often appeared on the news to defend the president and his policies.
In 2021, Gaetz and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene started a series of rallies called the "America First Tour." During the tour, they spoke about their political ideas and repeated claims that the 2020 presidential election had problems.
Gaetz was also known for his role in the Freedom Caucus, a group of very conservative Republicans in the House.
Removing the Speaker of the House
In October 2023, Gaetz took a historic step. He filed a "motion to vacate," which is a special rule used to remove the Speaker of the House. At the time, the Speaker was Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican.
Gaetz was unhappy that McCarthy had worked with Democrats to pass a temporary budget and avoid a government shutdown. Gaetz and a small group of other Republicans voted with all the Democrats to remove McCarthy from the Speaker position. It was the first time in U.S. history that a Speaker had been removed this way.
House Ethics Investigation
Starting in 2020, Gaetz was the subject of a long investigation by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). In the end, the DOJ decided not to charge him with any crime.
However, a separate investigation was done by the United States House Committee on Ethics. This committee is responsible for making sure members of Congress follow rules of conduct. In December 2024, the committee released a report. The report stated it found "substantial evidence" that Gaetz had engaged in serious misconduct and broken House rules. This report became a major issue when he was later nominated for a cabinet position.
Nomination for Attorney General
On November 13, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced he had chosen Gaetz to be the next United States Attorney General. This is one of the most important positions in the U.S. government. Shortly after, Gaetz resigned from his seat in Congress.
The nomination was met with criticism, including from some Republicans in the Senate. The Senate must vote to approve cabinet members. Some senators expressed concern about the findings in the House Ethics Committee report.
On November 21, 2024, Gaetz announced he was withdrawing his name from consideration. He said he did not want to cause problems for the new Trump administration. He also said he would not take the seat in Congress he had just won in the 2024 election.
Life After Congress
In January 2025, Gaetz began hosting a political talk show called The Matt Gaetz Show on the One America News Network.
Political Views
Gaetz has described himself as a "libertarian populist." This means he supports individual freedom and believes in representing the interests of ordinary people. His political views are often described as far-right.
Support for Donald Trump
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Gaetz is one of Donald Trump's closest and most loyal allies. During Trump's presidency, Gaetz strongly defended him during the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and during two impeachment hearings.
In 2019, he led a protest where a group of Republicans entered a secure room on Capitol Hill. They were protesting that the impeachment hearings against Trump were being held in private.
After the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Gaetz voted against impeaching President Trump for a second time.
Other Political Stances
- Environment: In 2017, Gaetz introduced a bill to get rid of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He said the agency's rules hurt businesses. He later joined the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus to work on climate change issues through technology and not just new rules.
- Economy: He voted for the major tax cut bill in 2017, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
- Gun Policy: Gaetz is a strong supporter of gun rights. He has an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association. He has supported laws that would allow people to carry guns openly in public.
- Foreign Policy: Gaetz has often argued that the U.S. should be less involved in foreign conflicts. He voted against sending more military aid to Ukraine in 2024. He also voted to withdraw U.S. troops from countries like Syria.
Personal Life
In August 2021, Gaetz married Ginger Luckey. Her brother is Palmer Luckey, the founder of the virtual reality company Oculus VR. Gaetz is a Baptist.
He has a close relationship with a young man from Cuba named Nestor Galbán, whom he has referred to as being like a son to him.
See also
In Spanish: Matt Gaetz para niños
