President-elect Donald Trump announced on Nov. 21 that he had chosen Pam Bondi, a longtime supporter of his and Florida’s former attorney general, to lead the U.S. Justice Department during his second term.
News of her nomination came shortly after former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) withdrew his name from consideration amid allegations of sexual misconduct and concerns about garnering enough support among senators for his confirmation.
Bondi is expected to face a smoother process in the Senate. If confirmed, she would serve as the nation’s third female attorney general.
Here are some things to know about Bondi and what to expect during her confirmation hearing.
Florida’s First Female Attorney General
Bondi, 59, has decades of experience in law enforcement and, in 2011, became the Sunshine State’s first female attorney general.Trump praised Bondi for her work on public safety and drug trafficking when he announced the nomination.
“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 Truth Social. “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 our Country.”
According to her
bio, she is a fourth-generation Floridian. Her father was the mayor of a town in Hillsborough County, a county where she also served as a prosecutor for years. Bondi received a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from the University of Florida and graduated from Stetson University College of Law.
During Bondi’s time as attorney general, she also defended the state’s attempt to enforce a traditional definition of marriage.
(L–R) Florida's Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and House Speaker Dean Cannon celebrate unanimous approval of legislation at the state House in Tallahassee on May 6, 2011. Florida House of Representatives/Public Domain
Vocal Trump Supporter
Bondi has been at the forefront of supporting Trump, who has vowed to end what he called the weaponization of the justice system.“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans - Not anymore,” Trump
said on Truth Social on Nov. 21. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.”
Besides campaigning for Trump,
Bondi publicly defended him during Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecution in New York. She also advised Trump during his impeachment defense and served as an adviser for his 2020 presidential campaign. During Trump’s first term, she also worked on his Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission.
Bondi also joined Matthew Whitaker, Trump’s former acting attorney general and appointment for ambassador to NATO, in arguing that special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was illegal. Both
filed an amicus brief opposing Smith’s appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, which was reviewing Florida Judge Aileen Cannon’s dismissal of his classified documents case against Trump.
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a press conference at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., on July 7, 2021. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Bondi Works for Trump-Aligned Group
Bondi also leads legal efforts at the America First Policy Institute, where she serves as chair for the Center for Litigation and co-chair of the Center for Law and Justice. The institute advocates for “liberty, free enterprise, national greatness, American military superiority, foreign-policy engagement in the American interest, and the primacy of American workers, families, and communities,” according to its
website.
In 2023, she worked on a
lawsuit alleging that a Colorado school district violated parents’ rights through its “gender support plans” for students, as well as teachings about sex and gender.
The lawsuit claimed, among other things, that a school “Gender and Sexualities Alliance” club failed to disclose information to parents and encouraged students to treat their discussions as secret. A federal judge ruled in favor of the school district. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit set oral argument in the case for January.
Senate Support
Bondi has already received
support from leading Republicans like Sen. Rick
Scott (R-Fla.), who worked with her as Florida’s former governor, and Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Lindsey
Graham (R-S.C.). Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), another member of the Judiciary Committee,
said on social media platform X that Bondi would be a “fabulous AG.”
Democrats might raise concerns about her work in Trump’s legal cases and her stance on the fraud allegations in the 2020 elections.
Defense team member former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi arrives for President Donald Trump's impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 23, 2020. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Lobbying Work
Since leaving the attorney general’s office in 2019, she’s worked in various roles, including as a
lobbyist at Ballard Partners, which is led by Brian Ballard, who raised funds for Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. It’s the same lobbying firm where Susan Wiles, who Trump announced for White House chief of Staff, worked.
According to her
bio, Bondi chairs the firm’s Corporate Regulatory Compliance practice, which focuses on “serving Fortune 500 companies to implement best practices that proactively address public policy challenges such as human trafficking, opioid abuse and personal data privacy.”
Following news of her nomination, some
drew attention to Bondi’s work as a lobbyist for the government of Qatar. According to
Open Secrets, her clients included real estate investment company Alden Torch Financial, the Florida Sheriffs Association, and investment company Pulte Capital Partners.
