President-elect Donald Trump picked former Florida Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi to take the top spot in his Department of Justice hours after his first-choice nominee, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), withdrew from consideration.
[RELATED: Matt Gaetz Withdraws Himself from Consideration for United States Attorney General…]
“Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on violent criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida families. Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of fentanyl overdose deaths which have destroyed many families across the country,” said President Trump.
Trump argued that, under the Biden Administration, the DOJ has been weaponized against him and other Republicans, as highlighted by the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago and the federal prosecution of pro-life activists.
He believes that Bondi will bring the DOJ back to its fundamental purpose: “fighting crime and making America safe again.”
Bondi served as Florida’s first female AG from 2011 to 2019.
She has a history of working with Trump, serving on his Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission, joining his legal defense team during his 2020 impeachment trial, and accompanying him on the campaign trail in 2024.
She has also been a frequent guest on Fox News.
Trump’s first choice for AG, Rep. Gaetz, praised Trump’s new selection.
“@PamBondi is a stellar selection by President Trump for Attorney General. Pam and I worked closely together when she was Florida’s Attorney General and I chaired Criminal Justice in the state house. She’s a proven litigator, an inspiring leader and a champion for all Americans. She will bring the needed reforms to DOJ,” said Gaetz on X.
Gaetz dropped out after it became clear that he would face an extremely difficult path to confirmation due to numerous controversies and allegations of sexual misconduct.
Multiple Republican Senators, including Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R), expressed skepticism over his selection.
Senator Collins has not yet commented on Bondi’s nomination, but she has faced far less immediate backlash than Gaetz did, and the suggestions that Gaetz was unqualified for the position will not apply to Bondi, a veteran state-level Attorney General and prosecutor.
While Bondi received praise from the more populist and libertarian-leaning Gaetz, she also drew fawning support from more traditionally establishment Republicans like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
“Well done, Mr. President. Picking Pam Bondi for Attorney General is a grand slam, touchdown, hole in one, ace, hat trick, slam dunk, Olympic gold medal pick. She will be confirmed quickly because she deserves to be confirmed quickly,” said Sen. Graham.
Even Jeb Bush, a 2016 Republican presidential candidate and member of the politically prominent Bush family, celebrated the pick.
“Congratulations to Pam Bondi,” said Bush on X.
Despite her more recent work with Trump, Bondi supported Bush during the 2016 Republican primary election.
