5 Whiny Matt Gaetz Moments That Proved He's The Ultimate Snowflake

Matt Gaetz is as controversial a political figure as they come. He was under investigation while serving as a member of Congress, and all his past scandals were laid bare for the world to see when President Donald Trump announced him as his attorney general pick. Gaetz was in hot water with the House Ethics Committee for various reasons, and its findings were concerning. "The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress," a report published by the committee read (via AP News). 

Gaetz denied any wrongdoing, parroting Trump and dubbing the investigation and its findings a "smear." But the report was enough to irreparably damage his reputation, and it became clear that he was unlikely to be confirmed for the attorney general position. Gaetz took to X, formerly Twitter, to let the public know that he was forfeiting the nomination, but he attributed this so-called sacrifice to his undying loyalty to Trump and not wanting the new president to start his term without an appointed attorney general. 

"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 wrote. "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." Thinking that the allegations against him were this big a distraction seemed to hint that Gaetz's ego matches that of Trump's. Several other cabinet picks, like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, faced similar allegations, and none forfeited their nominations because of it.  

Matt Gaetz has a bit of a reputation for complaining loudly or playing the victim when things don't go his way, and he opted for the former when Liz Cheney, the former Republican representative of Wyoming, turned on President Donald Trump when his impeachment was put to a vote. Cheney agreed that Trump had to be held accountable for the January 6 insurrection. "The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President," she said in a statement (via CNN). "The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution."

This did not sit well with Gaetz. "We are in a battle for the soul of the Republican party, and I intend to win it," Gaetz said after Cheney made good on her promise to vote for the president's impeachment (via CNN). "You can help me break a corrupt system. You can send a representative who actually represents you, and you can send Liz Cheney home – back home to Washington, DC." During a subsequent appearance on Fox News, Gaetz called Cheney a traitor, insisting she be removed from office because she was no longer acting in the Republican party's interest. 

When President Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen was set to testify against Matt Gaetz in front of the House Oversight Committee in 2019, the latter took to X, formerly Twitter, to send Cohen a message. "Hey @MichaelCohen212 – Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she'll remain faithful when you're in prison. She's about to learn a lot.." Gaetz wrote. It might be safe to say the former congressman sorely regretted ever posting this, given that it sparked headlines and criticism, with many accusing him of trying to intimidate a witness. The tweet led to the Florida Bar opening an investigation into Gaetz. In a statement to USA Today, Gaetz made the investigation off as nonsense, calling the allegations "frivolous."

And yet, the congressman seemed incredibly uncomfortable in the hot water he'd landed himself in, subsequently taking to X, formerly Twitter, once again to let the world know that he'd had a chat with Cohen. "I've personally apologized to @MichaelCohen212 4 referencing his private family in the public square," Gaetz wrote. "Regardless of disagreements, family members should be off-limits from attacks from representatives, senators & presidents, including myself. Let's leave the Cohen family alone." It seems the congressman would have done well to take his own advice from the get-go.

When "Reacher" star Alan Ritchson sat down for an interview with GQ in February 2025, he revealed that he and Matt Gaetz went to the same school. They were classmates but never close friends, which isn't something Ritchson regrets. When asked about the controversial politician, the actor replied, "That motherf—. We are adversaries." He added that he was astounded that Gaetz even made it into Congress. "Knowing everything we know about him and the promises that he's made behind closed doors about pardoning certain criminals—he's just not a good dude!" the actor said. Ritchson is part of a lengthy list of celebrities who can't stand Gaetz, and it seems the former congressman hasn't grown a thick skin despite his profession.

In response to Ritchson's interview, Gaetz took to X, formerly Twitter, to try and refute the actor's claims about him, claiming that fame had gone to his former classmate's head. "Hollywood apparently changes people!" Gaetz wrote. "Alan was a year behind me in high school and we were both on the Speech and Debate Team. We were not 'adversaries' as I won debate championships and Alan did more acting stuff." He went on to claim that Ritchson's mother adored him and that he attended a party celebrating the actor's father's Air Force retirement. Nobody asked for this information nor did anyone exactly care, but it appears Gaetz has a hard time dealing with criticism, especially when it's from someone who used to know him before he became embroiled in politics.

Matt Gaetz seems to be, er, threatened by independent, educated women who stand up for their rights. He seemingly confirmed this suspicion when he took to X, formerly Twitter, in May 2022 as women gathered in great numbers to protest the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade. "How many of the women rallying against overturning Roe are over-educated, under-loved millennials who sadly return from protests to a lonely microwave dinner with their cats, and no bumble matches?" Gaetz wrote. This was quite an audacious statement from someone who has been accused of paying women for sex. The tweet sparked outrage online, but Gaetz told The Hill, "I obviously don't regret it."

About two months later, the women taking to the streets to protest for their rights still seemed to keep the former congressman up at night, so he broached the subject once again during a speech he delivered to the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa, saying point blank that the women protesting to protect abortion rights were the very ones who didn't need to worry about becoming pregnant, calling them "disgusting" (via The Independent). "Nobody wants to impregnate you if you look like a thumb," Gaetz continued. "A few of them need to get up and march. They need to get up and march for like an hour a day. Swing those arms, get the blood pumping, maybe mix in a salad."

In response to his incendiary comments, Gaetz found himself facing the wrath of political activist Olivia Julianna. "I'm actually 5'11. 6'4 in heels. I wear them so the small men like you are reminded of your place," she wrote on X.

It would be unreasonable to expect someone like Matt Gaetz to take accountability for his alleged sins. When his nomination for attorney general imploded, so did his wife, Ginger Gaetz' aspirations of becoming a Mar-A-Lago housewife, but she stuck to his side regardless. Gaetz has made the allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use that are hounding him off as balderdash, despite various witnesses testifying to the contrary during the House Ethics Committee's investigation into the former congressman. "I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court – which is why no such claim was ever made in court," Gaetz proclaimed on X, formerly Twitter in response to the allegations. He added, "The people investigating me hated me."

Gaetz then went on to admit that he'd made payments to women in the past, but claimed it was acts of kindness, adding that he dated some of the women in question while simply being a good Samaritan to others. "My 30's were an era of working very hard – and playing hard too," Gaetz wrote. "It's embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life.  I live a different life now." If this statement was supposed to instill confidence in his innocence, it failed miserably.