Matt Gaetz responded to praise from Vice President-elect JD Vance last night by darkly hinting that he could return in a different guise as some sort of hideous alien supervillain.

Here is Josh Marcus at the prospect of him seamlessly sliding back into Congress.

Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for the role on Thursday, saying his candidacy “becomes a distraction” in light of the intense media coverage of the previous investigations into his alleged drug use and sex with a minor, allegations he has consistently denied.

“While momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction from the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” he wrote on X.

It’s fair to say that Senate Democrat John Fetterman wasn’t entirely surprised by the development:

Here’s what Trump had to say publicly in tribute to Gaetz yesterday:

But behind the scenes, his team had reportedly been forced to conclude that their man was too “blackmailable” for further consideration.

Here’s more about it from Gustaf Kilander.

If you’re just catching up on yesterday’s whirlwind events, Donald Trump has announced that former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is his new pick to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) following the resignation of ex-Congressman Matt Gaetz.

“For far too long, the partisan Justice Department has been a weapon against me and other Republicans — no longer,” the president-elect wrote in a statement Thursday night.

“Pam will refocus the DOJ on its intended purpose of fighting crime and making America safe again.”

Gaetz was very complimentary about Bondi’s selection (but what more could he say?), although his praise exceeded that of an overly fussy Lindsey Graham.

Republican Sen. Mike Rounds told CNN yesterday that Bondi will be subject to the same congressional scrutiny as Trump’s other cabinet picks, but questions have already been raised on that point…

Here is the full story from Mike Bedigan and Alex Woodward.

And while a few notables make headlines and may face real opposition to their respective confirmations, more are expected to sail smoothly through the Republican-controlled Senate.

Most reflect one of two schools of thought in the Republican Party, now both completely subservient to Trump. Some are MAGA diehards, like Matt Gaetz and Kristi Noem. Others are more in line with the center of the party, such as Marco Rubio. People who fall into either camp could find opportunities for common ground with Democrats over the next four years — a valuable prospect if the opposition party can win control of one or both houses of Congress in the future.

A number of government positions remain outstanding: Trump has yet to name his picks for Agriculture, HUD, Treasury and Labor. But his picks for the most prominent positions are now all named, and some are far more bipartisan — or more antagonistic — than a layperson might expect.

But how much training experience does she really have?

Rhian Lubin taking a look.

Pete Hegseth, which Trump has nominated to become the next defense secretary, has been widely derided for lacking the qualifications to lead the nation’s largest federal agency and its 3 million civil and civilian employees.

Here’s retired General Mark Milley giving his blunt response to Hegseth’s nomination:

“I had excellent meetings with senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback — and the incredible support from so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction from the critical work of the Trump transition and Vance,” Gaetz tweeted.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

His withdrawal comes after a week of intense scrutiny of reopened criminal allegations, including a federal sex-trafficking probe — which ended without charges — and a House ethics probe. He adamantly denies the allegations.

Josh Marcus and Rhian Lubin break down what you need to know.

Bill O’Reilly, the former Fox News host, has claimed that president-elect Donald Trumps government election will have no influence on the policies of his next administration.

Appearing on NewsNation on Wednesday night, the 75-year-old said Trump is likely to concentrate power on The White House and simply let his department heads follow his directives.

The commentator compared Trump’s incoming administration to that of Franklin D. Rooseveltand says the president-elect will put in place a structure where cabinet members will simply follow his lead.