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| President-elect Donald Trump announced former Florida AG Pam Bondi |
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has selected veteran prosecutor Pam Bondi as his nominee for attorney general, just hours after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration.
Bondi, who has extensive law enforcement experience and previously served as Florida's attorney general, is a long-time ally of Trump. She was part of his legal team during his first Senate impeachment trial and publicly supported him during his hush money trial in New York.
"Pam was tough on violent criminals and made Florida's streets safer for families," Trump said in announcing her nomination.
Bondi has been a close associate of Trump since his 2016 campaign, even calling him a "friend" at a recent rally. In 2019, she joined his White House to help with "proactive impeachment messaging" and served as his legal advisor and defense attorney during his first impeachment trial, which ended in acquittal. .She also backed Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud in 2020 and contributed to his Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission. More recently, she has headed the legal division of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank founded by former Trump officials.
If confirmed by the Senate
Bondi would oversee the Department of Justice’s more than 115,000 employees and manage a $45 billion budget. She would also play a key role in implementing Trump’s plan to target his political adversaries once in office.
Bondi has been outspoken in criticizing the criminal cases against Trump, as well as special counsel Jack Smith, who brought charges against Trump in two federal cases. "For too long, the politically biased Department of Justice has been used against me and other Republicans—those days are over," Trump wrote on Thursday.
Trump's plans for the DOJ include ending “weaponized government,” securing U.S. borders, dismantling criminal organizations, and restoring Americans’ trust in the department.
Senator Lindsey Graham expressed confidence that Bondi’s confirmation would be swift, calling her a "grand slam" pick.
Bondi’s nomination came just six hours after Gaetz announced he would not pursue the attorney general role, following a controversy over a congressional report on sexual misconduct allegations against him. Gaetz withdrew to avoid distracting from the incoming administration’s priorities.
Gaetz later congratulated Bondi on her nomination, calling her a “stellar selection” and a “proven litigator.” It is still unclear whether Gaetz, who resigned his House seat to seek the attorney general position, will attempt to reclaim it.
Since his election win, Trump has appointed several close allies to high-ranking positions within his administration.
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