00:00:00.000Breaking news into CNN. Just moments ago, posted to social media, President-elect Donald Trump has nominated his pick for Attorney General, and that is Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, a Republican firebrand, a lightning rod for controversy. These confirmation hearings are going to be intense, to say the least.
00:00:19.720We just got a little bit of breaking news. Matt Gaetz, as Attorney General, that's who Donald Trump is nominating or trying to nominate for Attorney General, Matt Gaetz. If you thought Pete Hegseth was surprising, Matt Gaetz, well, that'll knock you right off your feet.
00:00:36.520We've gotten two different texts from different people at the Justice Department who just used the word insane to respond and react to this potential appointment, and then also questioning whether Matt Gaetz can be confirmed.
00:00:49.060And one person asked me to research whether anyone had ever been nominated for the post of Attorney General who had been investigated by the Justice Department. We'll have to look into that, but my initial reading is that I can't think of any time that's ever happened in American history.
00:01:03.380Of the most prominent people of the most prominent people of the Department of Justice, all selected by Donald Trump saying they cannot do this.
00:01:11.040And so what I see with these announcements is a real blow to the independence of the Department of Justice, the independence of the intelligence community.
00:01:25.720And that is, you know, to put a fine point on it, if this were to come about, that is a blow to any check that they could pose to the president and an undermining of the rule of law in this country that is so fundamental that it really takes us one step closer to countries that we heretofore have viewed as enemies of a democracy.
00:01:53.200In D.C. today, bracing for the return of Donald Trump, the presidency.
00:01:58.540Within the last hour, Trump making clear just what kind of presidency he had in mind all along by naming Congressman Matt Gaetz as his choice to be the country's attorney general.
00:02:09.100Trump making that news in a social media post by saying that Gaetz will, quote, end weaponized government, which is in and of itself a delusion of the far right.
00:02:18.220It is yet another sign, though, that Donald Trump is rewarding loyalty this time above everything else as he builds a new cabinet since Gaetz was all in on Donald Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
00:02:32.060In fact, he was so concerned about his criminal exposure that he asked Donald Trump for a pardon in the last days of Trump's first presidency.
00:02:40.440Gaetz was also under investigation for sex trafficking as recently as 2023.
00:02:45.300He will now lead the department that once investigated him should he be confirmed.
00:02:50.520Of the legal, um, Matt Gaetz's a lawyer? He's not a lawyer.
00:03:01.620Where he served some time before he joined Congress.
00:03:03.500Do you need to be a lawyer to be a judge?
00:03:04.180I believe that you should be a lawyer to be the attorney general.
00:03:08.480But, um, Katie, this is a really stunning announcement because when I think about various people in Trump world who are floated as possible attorney generals, all of them are people who had serious legal credentials as well as fidelity to Donald Trump.
00:03:24.520And I want to be clear about that because when we talk about the Mark Pailettas of the world or Mike Davises or even someone like Todd Blanch, who has recently served as Donald Trump's personal attorney, all of them had experience, if not in the executive branch itself, in or around the Department of Justice, the Supreme Court.
00:03:42.840And in Congress, that would have allowed them to serve that role.
00:03:48.760Matt Gaetz, on the other hand, has never served as a prosecutor.
00:03:51.860He was only briefly in private practice.
00:03:53.460But what he has been is one of the fiercest defenders that Donald Trump has had throughout his original presidency and on through the future.
00:04:03.880But this kind of appointment is really striking fear and trepidation in the hearts of the career civil servants over there.
00:04:11.320Because what they revere above all is respect for the law and procedure and norms.