Topline
Former President Donald Trump endorsed controversial conservative Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) in a post on Trump’s social media site Truth Social on Saturday, days after his GOP primary opponent aired a TV ad questioning whether Gaetz was the informant who helped convince the FBI to raid Mar-a-Lago earlier this month.
Former President Donald Trump endorsed controversial Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz on Saturday. (Photo by … [+]
Key Facts
Trump, who has supported Gaetz in the past, praised the Republican incumbent ahead of Tuesday’s primary as a “champion of our MAGA agenda who works “tirelessly” to “drain the swamp,” defend the Second Amendment, stand up to the “woke mob,” and “fight the never-ending witch hunts from the radical left.”
Multiple publications have reported since the FBI’s raid on August 8 that law enforcement sources said an informant told the agency Trump still had confidential documents at his Florida home, over half a year after the former president returned 15 boxes of classified documents to the National Archives.
Gaetz’s primary oponent, Mark Lombardo, also attacked Gaetz — a controversial figure who is being investigated by the Justice Department over allegations he engaged a 17-year-old girl in sexual activity across state lines — for hiring an attorney who previously represented convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling Gaetz a “liar who doesn’t respect women,” “generates falsehoods” and “promotes conspiracy theories.”
Gaetz fired back by accusing Lombardo of being tied to liberal campaign donors.
Key Background
Gaetz, a Trump loyalist who in 2019 wrote a letter nominating the then-president for the Nobel Peace Prize, reportedly sought a pardon from Trump in the final month of his term, which never came. Gaetz has denied the accusations against him.
Crucial Quote
“Matt Gaetz puts America first, and he has my complete and total endorsement,” Trump said on Truth Social.
What To Watch For
Whether Trump-endorsed candidates win at the Florida primary on Tuesday. In addition to Gaetz, Trump on Saturday also endorsed Florida Republican Reps. Neal Dunn, Scott Franklin and John Rutherford, who join a list of nine other Republican representatives with Trump’s endorsement. Trump also endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who is down 48% to 44% to Democratic challenger Val Demings, according to a University of North Florida poll.
Further Reading
Matt Gaetz Says He’s Talked With Trump About Making Him Speaker Of The House (Forbes)
Matt Gaetz plays defense in Northwest Florida primary battle as ‘MAGA’ allies join forces (Pensacola News Journal)
Matt Gaetz’s Republican primary opponent suggests he is the possible FBI Mar-a-Lago informant in new attack ad (Business Insider)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/08/20/trump-endorses-matt-gaetz-in-primary-after-opponent-accused-him-of-being-fbi-informant/