No, Lindsey Graham didn't announce he wouldn't confirm Matt Gaetz | Fact check

The claim: Lindsey Graham announced he wouldn’t confirm Matt Gaetz as attorney general

A Nov. 13 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) includes photos of South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.

“Lindsey Graham just announced that he will NOT be approving Matt Gaetz as Attorney General,” reads the caption on the post. “Why is that. President Trump picking him is good enough for me!”

Other versions of the claim circulated on X, formerly Twitter.

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Our rating: False

Graham hasn’t announced he won’t vote to confirm Gaetz. He told CNN he would have to think about the decision but later urged Republicans to “give Matt a chance" and issued a statement saying he generally votes to confirm nominees.

Graham called Gaetz 'very bright' and 'qualified'

The claim came on the same day President-elect Donald Trump nominated Gaetz to be his attorney general in his second administration, a move that triggered bipartisan pushback and prompted Gaetz to immediately resign from Congress.

The resignation ended a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations that Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.

Gaetz, a Republican, faces broad opposition within his party, with some saying he faces an uphill battle to be confirmed by the Senate. There remains a possibility Trump could seek to put Gaetz and other appointees in office without Senate approval through recess appointments, however.

But Graham, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, isn't among the Republicans who have publically opposed Gaetz. He hasn’t published any statements on his congressional website or social media accounts expressing concern about Gaetz or saying he wouldn't vote to confirm him.

Graham initially did not commit to a vote when CNN asked him for a response to Gaetz’ nomination on Nov. 13.

“I don't know yet,” he told the outlet. “I’ll have to think about that one.”

He appeared on Fox News’ “Hannity” later that day and described Gaetz as “very bright” and “qualified."

“To every Republican, please follow a process to give President Trump the ability to pick the people he thinks can do the job and give Matt a chance to prove himself,” he said.

Fact check: Trump's CIA director, 'border czar' picks were Project 2025 contributors

He reiterated that sentiment in a Nov. 14 statement.

“Generally speaking, I vote for confirmation regardless of party or personal feelings because that is my constitutional role as a Senator,” Graham wrote. “I will do the same for President Trump’s nominees.”

He added that nominees would have to prove themselves and answer “difficult questions” during confirmation hearings and that the “process should be the same for every nominee.”

USA TODAY has debunked an array of claims related to Trump’s post-election appointments, including false assertions that he named Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert as his education secretary on Nov. 13, that he hired “the guy who wrote” Project 2025 and that he nominated former aide Kash Patel to be CIA director.

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources

• Lindsey Graham, accessed Nov. 15, Facebook page

• Lindsey Graham, accessed Nov. 15, Press Releases

• Lindsey Graham, accessed Nov. 15, X account

• Lindsey Graham, Nov. 14, Graham: Elections Have Consequences

• CNN, Nov. 13, Trump picks Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general

• Lindsey Graham (YouTube), Nov. 13, Graham Joins Hannity to Discuss Trump Cabinet Positions

• The Hill, Nov. 15, GOP senators: Gaetz nomination to head Justice in serious trouble

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This story was updated to correct a typo.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lindsey Graham called to give Matt Gaetz 'a chance' | Fact check