President-elect Donald Trump on Nov. 21 announced former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his nominee for U.S. attorney general, moving swiftly to replace former nominee Matt Gaetz who withdrew from contention earlier in the day.
Bondi also served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019. The president-elect said that as the state’s first female attorney general, Bondi “worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of fentanyl overdose deaths, which have destroyed many families across our country.”
Bondi, at Trump’s request, served on his administration’s opioid and drug abuse commission.
“Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting crime, and making America safe again,” Trump wrote.
“I have known Pam for many years—she is smart and tough, and is an America first fighter, who will do a terrific job as attorney general!”
In 2019, Bondi joined Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in the Senate, at the end of which he was acquitted.
As a prosecutor, Bondi tried cases ranging from domestic violence to capital murder. During her tenure as Florida’s top lawyer, she advanced reforms targeting corruption with opioid prescriptions.
Bondi is a well-known figure in Trump’s circle. She’s been a vocal critic of the criminal cases against Trump. In one radio appearance, she said Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith and other prosecutors were trying to make names for themselves by “going after Donald Trump and weaponizing our legal system.”
She has served as a chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers.
In response to the announcement, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) described Bondi as “a brilliant attorney with a long career of fighting for the Constitution.”
Gaetz Withdraws Nomination
Gaetz, who withdrew from contention earlier on Nov. 21, wrote on social media that Bondi is “a stellar selection.”Gaetz said he met with senators a day earlier and had “thoughtful feedback” and received “incredible support” from many of them.
Gaetz faced congressional, federal, and media scrutiny over allegations that would have complicated his path to confirmation as the nation’s top federal prosecutor.
“He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump wrote. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”
Last year, the former Florida lawmaker said in a statement that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had ended a related sex trafficking investigation with no charges against him. He has also categorically denied claims related to the ethics panel’s investigation, noting that the DOJ ended that probe.
“The Department of Justice has confirmed to congressman Gaetz’s attorneys that their investigation has concluded and that he will not be charged with any crimes,” a statement from his office said last year.
In the meantime, several Senate Republicans expressed concern about the possibility that he would be nominated, and some had declined to publicly state whether they would confirm him.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told reporters, “We all know what Washington is like,” adding that it “leaks like a wet paper bag.”
Gaetz resigned from his congressional seat on Nov. 13 after he was named as Trump’s choice for attorney general. However, he had won reelection for the upcoming Congress on Nov. 5.
