As Trump Pushes for Gaetz, He Sees the Odds Dwindling

The New York Times reports that President-elect Trump is acknowledging in private that it's starting to look unlikely that Matt Gaetz will be the next attorney general. The story from Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan says Trump puts the odds below 50-50 as more negative stories emerge about his nominee. But the piece also points out that Trump continues to lobby senators on his behalf and has not withdrawn the name, suggesting that the aggressive strategy will help get his other controversial nominees approved. Related:

• A report in Axios details how Trump is personally calling senators on behalf of Gaetz. "He clearly wants Matt Gaetz," GOP Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota tells the outlet. "He believes Matt Gaetz is the one person who will have the fearlessness and ferociousness, really, to do what needs doing at the Department of Justice." Cramer adds that he doesn't think it's part of a larger strategic move to help other nominees: It's all about Gaetz.

• The maneuvering comes as the House ethics panel debates whether to release its report on Gaetz, who has resigned from the chamber. Chair Michael Guest tells Politico that the committee will decide on its own whether to do that and won't be influenced by the opinion of Speaker Mike Johnson, who has said publicly it should not be released.
• The latest trouble for Gaetz is an attorney alleging that his two female clients told the panel that Gaetz, while in Congress, paid to have sex with both of them, and one was 17 at the time. As the Wall Street Journal notes, Gaetz has previously denied ever paying for sex or having sex with a minor.

(More Matt Gaetz stories.)