By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-21 21:26:55 | Updated at 2024-11-22 01:20:56
4 hours ago
Sen. John Fetterman reacted with characteristic candor on Thursday to the news that Matt Gaetz had decided to withdraw his name from consideration to be former President Donald Trump's attorney general.
Fetterman suggested the nomination and the news of Gaetz's withdrawal was all just a troll from the president-elect and his allies.
‘Holy s**t I didn't see that coming!' he said sarcastically to reporters on Capitol Hill.
'Yes, he was the ultimate troll and people have the opportunity they can freak out over a thing and respond and if you want to do that ... you better to pace yourself though because it's not even Thanksgiving,' he added.
Fetterman appeared to be annoyed at the media hubbub surrounding the announcement.
'We don't have to react and take unserious things so seriously that the world's going to spin off of its axis,' he said.
The Democratic senator from Pennsylvania jokingly teased the press that Trump would be issuing a 'silver dollar' to commemorate the event.
'I think that's going to be the next cycle,' he added.
John Fetterman reacted to the news that Rep. Matt Gaetz had withdrawn his name from consideration
Fetterman first described Gaetz's nomination as 'God-tier level trolling' by Trump last week after the nomination was announced.
'I would describe it as God-tier level trolling to just trigger a full-on China syndrome to own the libs in perpetuity,' Fetterman said.
Trump nominated Gaetz eight days ago, publicly standing by his choice as late as Tuesday until the Florida Congressman announced his withdrawal.
'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,' Gaetz said in a statement.
'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 thanked Gaetz, claiming he still had a great future ahead of him.
US Republican Representative Matt Gaetz announced his decision to withdraw his name for consideration as Trump's attorney general after he was nominated
John Fetterman has advised Democrats to be more measured in their response to President-elect Donald Trump's actions
'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. 'Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!'
It is unclear what Gaetz plans to do next and whether he can salvage his political career.
Since Democrats lost the 2024 election, Fetterman has been more outspoken about his views, even offering an olive branch to his former rival for the Senate Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was nominated by Trump to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
'If Dr. Oz is about protecting and preserving Medicare and Medicaid, I’m voting for the dude,' Fetterman wrote on social media.
Fetterman urged Democrats not to 'freak out' over everything that Trump did during an appearance on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, advising his party to be more measured in their responses.
'If we're having meltdowns, you know, every tweet or every appointment or all those things, I mean, it's going to be four years,' he said.
