Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) announced in a social media post Tuesday that he would be returning to public service following an appointment to a state board in Florida.
In the post, which included an image of an official letter, Gaetz thanked Florida lawmakers and expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “I am returning to public service! Thank you, Speaker Perez, for this appointment. I look forward to the work ahead as we continue improving the lives of Northwest Floridians,” the former congressman wrote.
Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez issued the appointment letter on the same date. The letter states that Gaetz is appointed to serve as a member of the Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. Board of Directors. The term begins July 1, 2026, and runs through June 30, 2030
Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation established to administer funds recovered by the Florida attorney general related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It oversees approximately 75 percent of those economic damages funds for the recovery, diversification, and enhancement of eight Northwest Florida counties: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla.
The organization directs resources toward projects including job training, infrastructure improvements, education initiatives, and economic development in the region. It has also addressed other disaster recovery efforts
The seven-member board receives appointments from designated state officials: one each from the governor, attorney general, and chief financial officer, and two each from the Senate president and House speaker. Board members serve without compensation for their service.
I am returning to public service!
Thank you, Speaker Perez, for this appointment.
I look forward to the work ahead as we continue improving the lives of Northwest Floridians. pic.twitter.com/SkzGi11Sc1
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) June 23, 2026
Gaetz previously represented Florida’s 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2017 until November 2024. During his time in Congress, he was a consistent supporter of President Donald Trump’s policy positions and legislative priorities.
In November 2024, after Trump’s election to a second term as president, Gaetz was selected as the nominee for U.S. attorney general. He resigned from his House seat shortly after the nomination announcement, though he ultimately withdrew his nomination for attorney general after opposition from the GOP-controlled Senate.
Following his departure from Congress, Gaetz transitioned to media work. In January 2025, he began hosting The Matt Gaetz Show, a weeknight political talk and analysis program broadcast on One America News Network.
