Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has announced his return to public service, joining the Triumph Gulf Coast Inc. board of directors. The seven-member board oversees the distribution of Florida’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement funds, directing investments to support economic recovery in eight Northwest Florida counties.
Gaetz, who resigned from Congress in 2024 after being appointed to a brief and ultimately unsuccessful bid for U.S. attorney general, will serve on the board until June 30, 2030. His resignation came days before the House ethics committee released a report detailing allegations of sexual misconduct, including claims he had sexual relations with an underage girl while in office. Gaetz has denied the allegations.
The appointment was made by Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, who praised Gaetz’s commitment to improving the lives of Northwest Floridians. Gaetz’s tenure on the board begins July 1, 2026.
Triumph Gulf Coast Inc. was established in 2013 to manage billions in settlement funds from the 2010 oil spill. The board is appointed by Florida’s top elected officials, including the governor, attorney general, and chief financial officer, as well as the president of the state Senate and the speaker of the House.
Gaetz’s political career has been marked by controversy. He first entered public office in 2010, serving in the Florida House of Representatives until 2016, where he gained attention for his conservative positions and involvement in criminal justice issues, including the ‘stand-your-ground’ debate following the Trayvon Martin case.