Daily Beast: “In the days following revelations about the federal investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz’s alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, advisers to Donald Trump have consistently offered him a simple message: Please, please keep your mouth shut. According to two people familiar with the matter, the twice-impeached former president has closely been monitoring the scandal engulfing one of his favorite allies on Capitol Hill. The ex-president has, in his typical fashion, casually quizzed several confidants about what they think of the situation and if there’s anything that he should do about it. But multiple people have flatly advised Trump to stay out of it – refrain from publicly defending Gaetz, they are telling him, at least for the time being.”

“The two sources said that, in all of the conversations they’re aware of, Trump has appeared to ultimately agree with the recommendations to keep quiet. One of the sources added that the former president has lamented that the whole thing seems ‘really bad’ for Gaetz, while also mentioning that the allegations could be a ‘smear’ against the Trump uber-loyalist. Gaetz has claimed he’s the victim of a convoluted extortion plot, involving Florida lawyers, $25 million, and a bizarre scheme to free former CIA agent Bob Levinson (who the U.S. government assumes is dead). And yet, despite Gaetz’s claims having some credence, the underlying story that Gaetz is under a Justice Department investigation for a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old also seems credible. In fact, to date, only two House Republicans have really jumped to Gaetz’s defense: Judiciary ranking Republican Jim Jordan (R-OH), who has himself faced allegations that he ignored serial sexual assault, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who seldom misses an opportunity to dismiss media reports and side with Trump-loving Republicans. Gaetz did not respond to a message asking if he’d heard from former President Trump in recent days. And a Trump spokesperson was also silent Friday. But as of Friday evening, Trump and his office had not issued any official statement on the matter.”