While his political opponents sought to sully his reputation beyond repair, former US Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is once again going to be serving in public office.
He made the announcement in a recent social media post, as The Hill reported:
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) announced Tuesday that he is “returning to public service” after being tapped to serve as a board member for the nonprofit Triumph Gulf Coast.
“I am returning to public service!” Gaetz wrote on the social platform X. “I look forward to the work ahead as we continue improving the lives of Northwest Floridians.”
ADVERTISEMENTGaetz said he was appointed by state House Speaker Daniel Perez (R) to sit on a seven-member board for the state-created organization overseeing the disbursement of settlement funds from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
His four-year term will begin July 1 and run through June 30, 2030, according to a letter sent by Perez to Gaetz.
The announcement drew a mixed reception for the polarizing figure, but many responses offered support and encouragement ahead of this new chapter in his career:
Glad to have you back in service Mr Gates, I liked your show on OAN.
— Lee Pizza (@MrLeePizza) June 23, 2026
You should have run for Gov! Glad you are back!😎
— Katwhisperer (@katherdere13) June 23, 2026
Yes, you've always been a fighter – and that's exactly the kind of energy Northwest FL and the Gulf Coast need right now. hope this will bring tangible results for the local people
— Diana (@Diana19951523) June 23, 2026
Here’s what Politico added:
During his nearly two-year hiatus from elected office, Gaetz hosted a show on the pro-Trump network One America News Network and had a son with his wife, Ginger.
On the Triumph Gulf Coast board, Gaetz would be responsible for overseeing the administering of 75 percent of the $2 billion that British Petroleum has been paying the state since 2016 as part of a settlement agreement between the two parties. Those payments, just over $100 million each year, are expected to continue through 2033.
The cash is meant to be directed to the eight Northwest Florida counties that were most affected by the oil spill, according to the organization’s website.
ADVERTISEMENTThe group was created in 2013 through the state Legislature, with Gaetz’s father, then-state Senate President Don Gaetz, as a supporter. The elder Gaetz chaired the organization from 2018 to 2022, after the nonprofit was formally incorporated and the first payment from BP was received.
“I look forward to the work ahead as we continue improving the lives of Northwest Floridians,” Matt Gaetz wrote Tuesday.
Here’s some additional coverage:
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