- Jun 24, 2025
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Former congressman Matt Gaetz is making his way back into public life, though this time the spotlight is local rather than national. On Tuesday, Gaetz took to social media to announce that he's been named to a state board in Florida, which represents his first official role in government since departing Washington at the end of last year, as Trending Views reported.
In his post, Gaetz shared a photo of the official letter confirming his placement and expressed gratitude to Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez. He wrote that he was eager to get started and looked forward to contributing to the well being of people across Northwest Florida.
So what exactly is the gig? Perez's letter appoints Gaetz to serve on the Board of Directors for Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. His term will begin on July 1, 2026, and conclude on June 30, 2030. Triumph Gulf Coast operates as a nonprofit that manages funds the Florida attorney general recovered in connection with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The organization controls approximately 75 percent of those economic damages funds and channels them toward recovery and growth across eight counties in Northwest Florida: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla.
The board supports a variety of projects, from job training and education initiatives to infrastructure upgrades and broader economic development. Over the years, it has also played a role in disaster recovery efforts throughout the region.
Triumph Gulf Coast's board consists of seven members who are selected by multiple state officials. The governor, attorney general, and chief financial officer each appoint one member, while both the Senate president and House speaker choose two. None of the board members receive compensation for their service.
Gaetz served as the representative for Florida's 1st congressional district starting in 2017, holding the seat until November 2024. During that stretch, he became widely known as a loyal ally of President Donald Trump and a vocal champion of Trump's policy priorities. His departure from Congress happened swiftly after Trump secured a second presidential term. Trump nominated Gaetz for U.S. attorney general in November 2024, prompting Gaetz to resign his House seat almost immediately. That nomination fell apart, though, after significant resistance from Republican senators led Gaetz to pull his name from consideration.
Since walking away from Capitol Hill, Gaetz has kept himself busy in the media world. In January 2025, he debuted The Matt Gaetz Show, a weeknight political commentary program that airs on One America News Network. With his new appointment to Triumph Gulf Coast, he now holds a formal civic position once again, this time with a focus on the very communities he represented in Congress for close to eight years.
Continue reading more about it at: Matt Gaetz Appointed to Florida's Triumph Gulf Coast Board, Marking His Return to Public Service
