Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration to be President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general, he wrote on social media Thursday.

The former Florida congressman said he made the decision after a series of meetings Wednesday with senators on Capitol Hill.

“I appreciate their thoughtful feedback — and the incredible support of so many,” Gaetz wrote. “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.”

Hours later, Trump named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general. Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial. She has been a chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers.

A criminal probe into Gaetz dominated public discourse about his nomination despite no charges being filed against him. The investigation stemmed from accusations of sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old girl, sex trafficking and illicit drug use.

Public skepticism from two Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — matched with reports of additional GOP opposition to the nomination fueled concerns among Trump loyalists that Gaetz would not politically survive the Senate confirmation process.

While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump’s nominees, it became clear after Gaetz’s withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.”

“I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history,” Gaetz wrote. “I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”

In a social media post, Trump said: “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”

Last week, he named personal lawyers Todd Blanche, Emil Bove and D. John Sauer to senior roles in the department. Another possible contender, Matthew Whitaker, was announced Wednesday as the U.S. ambassador to NATO.

In recent days, an attorney for two women said his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman.

One of the women testified she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in Florida in 2017, according to the attorney, Joel Leppard. Leppard has said that his client testified she didn’t think Gaetz knew the girl was underage, stopped their relationship when he found out and did not resume it until after she turned 18. The age of consent in Florida is 18.

“They’re grateful for the opportunity to move forward with their lives,” Leppard said Thursday of his clients. “They’re hoping that this brings final closure for all the parties involved.”

Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The Justice Department’s investigation ended last year with no charges against him.

Gaetz resigned from Congress after his nomination, meaning he cannot return to his role representing Florida’s 1st Congressional District without being reelected.

Gaetz is not the only Trump pick facing congressional scrutiny. A detailed investigative police report made public Wednesday shows that a woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News host now tapped to lead the Pentagon, after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave.

“The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared,” Hegseth said Thursday at the Capitol, where he was meeting with senators to build support for his nomination.

Associated Press contributed to this article.

Have a news tip? Contact Julian Baron via email at jtbaron@sbgtv.com.