Trump slammed for Matt Gaetz nomination: "Trump’s gonna put Diddy in charge of oil reserves"

Author Michael Harriot criticized Donald Trump's choice of Matt Gaetz as attorney general on X (formerly Twitter).

On November 13, 2024, author Michael Harriot took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize Donald Trump for selecting congressman Matt Gaetz as his nominee for attorney general. 

In his tweet, Harriot stated: "At this rate, Trump’s gonna put Diddy in charge of the oil reserves."  

Harriot's comment not only took aim at Trump but also alluded to Gaetz being investigated by the Department of Justice in December 2020 for s*x trafficking. It also referenced the 1,000 bottles of baby oil reportedly found at Diddy’s homes during a raid in March 2024.  

According to a November 13, 2024 report from Reuters, Donald Trump announced Matt Gaetz as his attorney general nominee. 

In his statement, Trump said: "Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department."  

Gaetz’s nomination requires confirmation by the Republican-majority Senate.  

As reported by AP News on November 14, 2024, Trump stated that Gaetz’s appointment would address systematic corruption in the Justice Department. He added that Gaetz would restore the department’s mission to uphold democracy, the Constitution, and combat crime.  

The report also noted that hours before Trump’s announcement, Matt Gaetz tweeted a now-deleted post calling for a “full court press against this WEAPONIZED government.” 

In the post, he said: "And if that means ABOLISHING every one of the three letter agencies, from the FBI to the ATF, I’m ready to get going!"  

Gaetz also tweeted that serving "as President Trump’s Attorney General" would be an honor.  

According to NBC News, the FBI seized Matt Gaetz’s phone in December 2020 as part of an investigation into allegations that he s*x trafficked a 17-year-old girl. During the probe, Gaetz’s former associate Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty to trafficking the teenager and cooperated with investigators. Additionally, Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend secured immunity from federal prosecution in exchange for her testimony.  

The New York Times reported on November 13, 2024, that the House Ethics Committee had been preparing to vote on November 15 to release a critical report on Gaetz. However, Gaetz resigned from his House seat on November 13, effectively ending the ethics investigation against him. The report highlighted that Gaetz had delayed the investigation by providing combative responses to the committee’s questions. His resignation meant the committee no longer had jurisdiction to continue the probe.