House Erupts in Laughter and Applause as Clerk Confirms Matt Gaetz Won’t Be Returning to Congress

Some lawmakers in the House couldn’t hide their excitement when they found out that former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) would not be returning to the 119th Congress.

Matt Gaetz had been chosen by President-elect Donald Trump for a top role as head of the Department of Justice. However, his career took a sharp turn when he faced serious allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor. These accusations destroyed his chances of taking the job, and he eventually withdrew from the nomination process. The scandal put a big stain on his political career.

On Friday, during a session in the House, the Democrats couldn’t contain their laughter and applause when the House clerk read a formal letter confirming that Gaetz would not be part of the new Congress. This moment of celebration came after weeks of speculation about his political future.

Gaetz had previously hinted at a possible return to Congress, even after stepping down from his position in the last Congress. Despite winning reelection, he officially announced his resignation, leaving many people wondering about his next move. He had even shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he wanted to come back to Congress, claiming he had plans to expose the sex scandals of his fellow lawmakers as a form of payback.

The announcement that Gaetz wouldn’t be coming back seemed to bring relief and amusement to many in the House, marking the end of a dramatic chapter in his political career.

Watch the reaction from the House below: