Gaetz blasts CNN over story indicating Trump avoided Mar-a-Lago meeting

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R.-Fla., who has vowed to fight allegations of sexual misconduct against him, took to Twitter late Sunday to challenge a CNN report that he was denied a meeting with former President Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

"This is a total lie. I am on a pre-planned vacation with my fiancée. I was welcomed at Trump Doral days ago. No such meeting was denied nor sought," he tweeted. He called out the article’s "unnamed sources" and asked the network when he could expect a retraction.

The CNN report cited "two people familiar with the matter" who said aides of the former president denied a request from Gaetz and urged Trump to avoid getting involved in the scandal. The report included a statement from a Gaetz spokesman denying the congressman requested a meeting this past week.

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CNN did not respond to Fox News' requests for comment.

Gaetz has been a longtime Trump ally and supporter.

Jason Miller, a close aide to Trump, called the CNN report "complete fake news."

"No such scheduling or meeting request was ever made, and therefore, it could never have been declined. Take note that this story has zero on-the-record sources. It’s literally made-up," he added

He also demanded a full retraction.

Gaetz is being investigated for his potential involvement in sex trafficking, The New York Times has reported, as well as allegations of payments to women for sex. The sex-trafficking investigation has stemmed from allegations that he paid a 17-year-old girl to fly across state lines for sexual relations.

Gaetz hired a legal team to fight the "unfounded allegations" against him as the Justice Department has investigated sex-trafficking allegations involving underage girls. So far, no charges have been filed against him.

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"Matt has always been a fighter," a spokesperson for Gaetz said in a statement to Fox News on Friday.

Gaetz said Friday, "The smears against me range from just distortions of my personal life to wild – and I mean wild – conspiracy theories. I won’t be intimidated by a lying media, and I won’t be extorted by a former DOJ official and the crooks he is working with. The truth will prevail."

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.