US President-elect Donald Trump has selected veteran prosecutor Pam Bondi as his new nominee for Attorney General, following a withdrawal from Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, who had initially been considered for the position. Bondi, 59, a former Florida Attorney General, has a long history of legal experience and is a staunch ally of Trump, having defended him during his first Senate impeachment trial.
In a statement announcing the nomination, Trump praised Bondi’s record, highlighting her 20-year career as a prosecutor, during which she was known for her tough stance on violent criminals. “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on violent criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida families,” Trump wrote on social media.
Bondi has been a close supporter of Trump since his 2016 campaign, and her ties to him have only deepened over the years. In 2019, she joined Trump’s White House team, where she worked on “proactive impeachment messaging” and served as his legal advisor during his first impeachment. She continued to work with Trump in 2020, supporting claims of widespread voter fraud in the presidential election. Bondi also served on Trump’s Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission and more recently led the legal division of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank.
If confirmed by the Senate, Bondi will take the helm of the Department of Justice, overseeing more than 115,000 employees and managing a budget of approximately $45 billion. She will play a key role in executing Trump’s vision for the department, including tackling crime and restoring trust in the justice system. Trump has been vocal about his plans to reorient the DOJ, claiming it has been “weaponized” against Republicans, particularly with ongoing investigations into his own legal challenges.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham expressed confidence that Bondi’s nomination would be swiftly confirmed, calling her selection a “grand slam” and predicting a quick approval from the Senate. Bondi’s nomination comes shortly after Gaetz announced he would withdraw from consideration for Attorney General amid ongoing controversy surrounding a congressional report on sexual misconduct allegations against him. Gaetz, who had been seen as Trump’s initial pick, said the report had become a distraction and withdrew from the process, later congratulating Bondi on her selection.
Bondi’s nomination marks the latest in a series of appointments by Trump, who has filled key positions in his administration with close allies since his election victory. The transition team is hopeful that Bondi’s confirmation process will be smoother than Gaetz’s, which was marred by controversy.
