Former Rep. Matt Gaetz is reportedly expected to become an anchor for the pro-Trump One American News Network (OAN) after withdrawing from President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination for attorney general.
CNN national correspondent Kristen Holmes reported on Monday evening that Gaetz was “expected to join One America News Network as an anchor,” citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation.
Gaetz’s wife, Ginger Gaetz – sister of Republican donor and Peter Thiel associate Palmer Luckey – appeared to hint at Gaetz’s new job in a social media post on Sunday.
“Big news coming next week!” she wrote, attached to a photo of the former congressman.
Mediaite reached out to Gaetz on Monday for comment and did not immediately receive a response.
Gaetz abruptly resigned from Congress last month after Trump nominated him to serve as the next U.S. attorney general.
Shortly after the nomination, however, Gaetz withdrew himself from consideration after Trump told him there were not enough votes in the Senate necessary for his confirmation. He had been the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigating examining whether he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. The Department of Justice also probed the allegation, but declined to bring charges. He denies wrongdoing.
“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,” he declared. “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. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”
In 2023, Gaetz repeatedly served as a guest host on OAN rival network Newsmax, at one point even beating CNN in the ratings.
The network’s decision to allow a sitting member of Congress to serve as guest host raised eyebrows in the network at the time, with one staffer calling it the “worst idea I’ve heard in a long time.”
