Matthew Louis Gaetz II is a polarizing American politician who represented Florida’s 1st congressional district from 2017 until his explosive departure from Congress in late 2024. A brilliant debater and the ultimate political provocateur, Gaetz was the tip of the spear for the hardest-right faction of the House Republican conference. He cemented his place in congressional history in October 2023 by single-handedly orchestrating the historic ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, plunging the House into weeks of total paralysis. Following Donald Trump’s election victory in 2024, Trump shockingly nominated Gaetz to be the Attorney General of the United States. Gaetz immediately resigned his House seat to prepare for confirmation. However, facing a brutal Senate confirmation battle and the imminent release of a highly damaging House Ethics Committee report regarding allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, Gaetz withdrew his nomination just weeks later (eventually replaced by Pam Bondi). Currently out of public office in 2026, he remains a potent, highly visible political influencer and podcaster, waiting for his next political act.