https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-loses-matt-gaetz-for-agand-his-grip-on-total-power/
While one theory is that Gaetz was intended as a sacrificial lamb to help make other extreme choices seem more palatable, it is not clear that his dropping out will have that effect. It could in fact make it easier for Senators with some vestigial amount of spine left to mount an opposition to Gabbard, RFK, Jr. or Hegseth. The cases against each of them, strong to begin with, are mounting daily.