Senator John Fetterman Mocks Matt Gaetz for Withdrawing Nomination: 'Holy S--t! I Didn't See That Coming'

Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) reacted with characteristic bluntness to the withdrawal of former Representative Matt Gaetz from consideration for U.S. Attorney General.

Speaking to reporters at the Capitol on November 21, Fetterman sarcastically remarked on the news, which came after fresh revelations about Gaetz's alleged misconduct.

"Holy s–t! I didn't see that coming," Fetterman said, adding, "Like yes, he was the ultimate troll... You better pace yourself though—it's not even Thanksgiving yet. We don't have to take unserious things so seriously, like the world's gonna spin off its axis."

Gaetz, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump, faced widespread skepticism about his fitness for the role due to ongoing ethics investigations and a history of scandal. His withdrawal Thursday followed CNN's reporting of new allegations regarding a sexual encounter between Gaetz and a 17-year-old.

The allegations and mounting criticism led Gaetz to step down, stating he did not want to be a "distraction" to Trump's transition team. Fetterman mocked the situation further, joking that Trump might commemorate the incident: "I just heard that Trump is going to issue a new silver dollar to commemorate that. So, I think that's going to be the next cycle."

Earlier in the month, Fetterman had described Gaetz's nomination as "God-tier trolling" by Trump, suggesting it was meant to provoke outrage rather than a serious consideration. Despite his critique of Gaetz, Fetterman praised some of Trump's other cabinet picks, such as Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for Secretary of State, calling them "serious choices."

While Gaetz's resignation from Congress ended the House Ethics Committee's jurisdiction over his conduct, allegations surrounding Gaetz continue to garner attention amid scrutiny regarding his political future.