Trump substitutes Pam Bondi for AG pick after Matt Gaetz drops from ...

U.S president-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, former U.S. congressman Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration.

Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial, when he was accused — but not convicted — of abusing his power as he tried to condition U.S. military assistance to Ukraine on that country investigating then-former U.S. vice-president Joe Biden.

She was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush-money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts.

She's also been a chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think-tank set up by former Trump administration staffers.

"For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans — Not anymore," Trump said in a social media post. "Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again."

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham predicted in a social media post that Bondi "will be confirmed quickly," calling her selection a "grand slam, touchdown, hole in one, ace, hat trick, slam dunk, Olympic gold medal pick."

The hasty withdrawal by Gaetz and quick pivot to Bondi were the latest examples of Trump's tumultuous decision-making as he rushes out nominations — some of questionable character and credentials — at a breakneck pace without the government vetting that is typical of presidential transitions. It's an omen that despite running his most organized campaign for the White House this year, his return to the Oval Office might feature the same sort of drama that permeated his first term.

Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. told Fox Business on Sunday that the transition team had backups in mind for his controversial nominees should they fail to get confirmed. The swift selection of Bondi came about six hours after Gaetz withdrew.

Gaetz cites 'distraction' concerns

News of Gaetz's exit from consideration for the attorney general post came after the House ethics committee deadlocked on releasing a report into allegations of Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old female and using illegal drugs.

The politician said he made his decision to drop out after he met with Republican senators, whose support he would have needed to secure the job.

"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. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as attorney general," he wrote on X.

Gaetz has denied criminal wrongdoing.

WATCH | Matt Gaetz drops out:

Former U.S. congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration as president-elect Donald Trump's attorney general, saying his confirmation was becoming a distraction.

Trump's choice to have Gaetz oversee law enforcement shocked many in Washington last week. The pick also rattled many career Justice Department lawyers, who privately expressed concern about Gaetz leading the same agency that investigated sex-trafficking allegations involving underage girls.

The agency's three-year investigation into Gaetz ended last year without charges being brought.

Gaetz's nomination a test of Trump's power

Trump, who has railed against the Justice Department over the two criminal cases brought against him, had described Gaetz as the right person to "root out the systemic corruption" within the department.

"He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

A spokesperson said Trump would "announce his new decision when it is made," according to Reuters.

The nomination was an early test of Trump's power over Congress, where his Republican Party will hold majorities in both chambers next year. Gaetz was disliked by many fellow Republicans for having orchestrated the ouster last year of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, throwing the House of Representatives into chaos for weeks.

"From everything that built up to this point, it doesn't surprise me," Republican Sen. Mike Braun said of Gaetz's decision.

Other Republicans expressed disappointment.

"I had a very important relationship with Matt," said Sen. Rick Scott, who like Gaetz is from Florida. Scott said he hoped Trump would pick "whoever is going to be a fighter for getting the Department of Justice to stop being a partisan entity."

WATCH | 'Relief,' 'no comment': Reaction to Gaetz's withdrawal:

Democratic and Republican politicians reacted on Thursday to news that former U.S. congressman Matt Gaetz on Thursday had withdrawn his name from consideration for U.S. attorney general. The announcement came after the House ethics committee deadlocked on releasing a report looking into allegations of Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old girl and using illegal drugs.