Former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz has been named to serve on the board of directors for Triumph Gulf Coast, a state-created organization overseeing disbursement of settlement funds from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez appointed Gaetz to the seven-member board, with his term beginning July 1 and running through June 30, 2030, according to a letter from Perez to Gaetz.

Gaetz described the appointment as “returning to public service,” expressing gratitude to Speaker Perez for the role and stating he looks forward to “improving the lives of Northwest Floridians.” The position marks Gaetz’s first official public service role since resigning from Congress in 2024 following his withdrawal from consideration for U.S. Attorney General after a Justice Department investigation and House ethics probe involving allegations with underage women.

Gaetz, who represented Florida’s 1st Congressional District—from Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties plus portions of Walton County—served as one of President Donald Trump’s most loyal allies in Congress. He endorsed Trump during their 2024 presidential campaign against Gov. Ron DeSantis. The appointment follows Gaetz’s brief consideration for Florida governor or attorney general last year, after which he withdrew from both races.

Perez, a Miami-based Republican, recently received a nomination from Trump to become the next U.S. Ambassador to Brazil.