Former US Representative Matt Gaetz has dismissed Hollywood actor Alan Ritchson's claim that the two were 'adversaries' during their time at Niceville High School in Florida. The decades-old rivalry has resurfaced after Ritchson, star of Amazon Prime's 'Reacher', criticised Gaetz in a recent GQ interview.
Ritchson told GQ: 'It's shocking to me that the panhandle of Florida continues to vote for somebody knowing everything we know about him and the promises that he's made behind closed doors about pardoning certain criminals. He's just not a good dude!' Gaetz responded on X, downplaying the remarks and insisting they were not adversaries. 'We were not 'adversaries' as I won debate championships and Alan did more acting stuff,' he wrote.
Gaetz recalled a more cordial relationship, stating Ritchson was 'always very nice to me (and everyone)' and that he attended Ritchson's father's retirement party from the Air Force. However, Ritchson's animosity appears to have deepened over the years, with the actor expressing interest in entering politics to 'outdo somebody like him for good'.
Gaetz resigned from Congress in 2024 after being nominated by Donald Trump as Attorney General, but withdrew following allegations of a threesome involving a minor, which he denies. The House Ethics Committee had reopened an investigation into Gaetz over payments linked to sex and drugs.
