Former President Donald Trump has finally waded into the teen sex-trafficking scandal engulfing Rep. Matt Gaetz—one week later, and only once his name was invoked. The New York Times reported Tuesday night that Gaetz, one of Trump’s most sycophantic supporters, preemptively sought a pardon from Trump before he left office. On Wednesday, Trump, who has weathered dozens of sexual-misconduct allegations himself and never hesitated to dismiss unpleasant investigations as witch hunts, offered a 24-word statement that hardly conveyed confidence in the Florida Republican. “Congressman Matt Gaetz has never asked me for a pardon. It must also be remembered that he has totally denied the accusations against him,” the statement said. The Daily Beast reported last week that Trump was trying to stay far away from the messy case surrounding Gaetz.