Bluesky reacts to Matt Gaetz withdrawal as Trump's attorney general nominee

Bluesky had one of its first major moments on Thursday, as former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination as President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general. The left-leaning social media platform responded in full force — with a flood of jokes and commentary.

This marked the first big news event for Bluesky's growing community to rally around since Trump's election victory, which had spurred a surge of new users to the platform.

SEE ALSO: As Bluesky surpasses 20 million users, beware the fake accounts

In case you missed it, the news itself wasn’t exactly a surprise. Gaetz’s withdrawal followed long-standing controversies, including allegations of sexual misconduct and statutory rape involving payments to a minor. While Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing, pointing out that a federal investigation did not result in charges, the cloud of allegations has lingered, as noted by the Associated Press.

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Users on Bluesky were quick to jump on the news, reacting largely through memes and lighthearted commentary. The company itself has indicated it doesn't have an interest in supporting politicians — unlike X's Elon Musk devout backing of Trump — and has become the preferred platform for lots of left-leaning folks.

Since the election, the app has surged in popularity, climbing to over 21 million users, up from around 12 million in October. On Thursday, it felt like a significant portion of that growing user base had something to say — many of them with jokes aimed squarely at Gaetz.

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Attorney General Matt Gaetz has brought down his first and last sex criminal, Attorney General Matt Gaetz.

— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 12:45 PM

[Anne Hathaway Oscar acceptance speech voice] It came true!

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— Mark Harris (@markharris.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 12:33 PM

Folks, this is just a minor setback for Matt Gaetz. Well, several minors.

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— Zach Schonfeld (@zachschonfeld.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 1:19 PM

That news was as good as it Gaetz.

— George Takei (@georgetakei.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 1:15 PM

Matt Gaetz is unemployed. Lol

— Imani Gandy (@angryblacklady.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 12:46 PM

Happy to all who celebrate

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— Read the book Abolish Rent (@jphillll.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 1:27 PM

Happy to all who celebrate

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— Read the book Abolish Rent (@jphillll.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 1:27 PM

There were, of course, plenty of reactions and jokes about Gaetz on X as well. But for Bluesky, this moment felt particularly significant.

Twitter, before it became X, was known as the go-to platform for real-time reactions to breaking news. Bluesky's ability to step into that role, especially amid its post-election surge in users, signals a major milestone in its evolution as a social media hub.