Trump selects Pam Bondi for attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws
After former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew himself from consideration for attorney general, President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that he was selecting Pam Bondi, Florida's former attorney general, as his replacement.
"I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States," Trump said in a statement, adding that she was "smart and tough" and "will do a terrific job."
Bondi was the first woman elected to serve as Florida's attorney general, spending eight years in the role after working as assistant state attorney for Hillsborough County. According to Trump's social media post, Bondi focused on curbing immigration and combating the opioid epidemic during her tenure.
Bondi, a Trump loyalist, then turned her attention to national politics, working in the White House as both a legal adviser and defense attorney for Trump during the Senate's 2020 impeachment trial. She also spoke at a Pennsylvania press conference following the 2020 presidential election alongside Eric Trump and Rudy Giuliani — falsely claiming Trump had won the state before President Biden was declared its winner. She was also a surrogate for Trump's most recent campaign.
Gaetz reacted to the pick, posting to social media that Bondi was a "stellar selection" and a "proven litigator, inspiring leader and a champion for all Americans."
If confirmed, Bondi would be in charge of the Justice Department's 100,000 employees and oversee investigative components like the FBI and DEA. And she would assume the top job in a department that has investigated and prosecuted Trump for years.
Special counsel Jack Smith has filed two indictments against Trump, one over his alleged illegal retention of classified records, and another over allegations that he resisted the peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 presidential election. Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts and a federal judge earlier this year dismissed the classified documents case against him.
Smith is now actively working to end the election-related case against the president-elect because of department policy that forbids the prosecution of a sitting president. Smith is likely to leave his post at the Justice Department before Trump's inauguration, according to two sources familiar with the plans.
In June 2023, after he was indicted on federal charges related to classified documents, Trump vowed to, "appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of America, Joe Biden, and go after the Biden crime family." Since then, he and his allies have railed against the Justice Department, alleging political interference and abuse of power.
"For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans - Not anymore," Trump said in his statement Thursday.
Gaetz announced on Thursday that he would withdraw his nomination for attorney general, just over a week after Trump tapped him for the post. The selection was widely considered to be the most controversial the president-elect had made, with Gaetz having been the subject of multiple investigations into alleged conduct related to sex trafficking, obstruction, sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Gaetz has denied wrongdoing.
Gaetz promptly resigned from Congress following Trump's announcement, which came days before the House Ethics Committee was set to meet to consider releasing a report into its investigation into the Florida Republican's conduct. When the panel met days later, after its jurisdiction over Gaetz had ended with his decision to leave Congress, members said they did not reach agreement on whether to release the report. The next day, after meeting with Senate Republicans, Gaetz announced he would withdraw.
Even Senate Republicans were skeptical of Gaetz' chances of being confirmed next year, despite being slated to hold a narrow majority in the chamber.
Bondi will be the first woman to serve as U.S. attorney general since Loretta Lynch ascended to the top job during the Obama administration. Bondi's top deputy would be Todd Blanche, who has spent the last several months serving as Trump's defense attorney, and previously worked as a corporate defense attorney and federal prosecutor.
Other Trump defense attorneys are also set to be nominated to Justice Department leadership positions, including Emil Bove, who will be Trump's principal deputy attorney general, and D. John Sauer, who Trump said he will nominate as solicitor general.
Much of Bondi's initiatives will also depend on who Trump appoints to lead other Justice Department divisions, like those that handle national security and criminal matters. Trump's pick to oversee the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel will also be key to the agenda as it will issue decisions on presidential power, including potentially about which federal employees the president can fire.
FBI Director Christopher Wray reports directly to the attorney general. He was nominated by Trump in 2017 for a ten-year term, but Vice President-elect JD Vance has said he and Trump were interviewing potential replacements earlier this week. Wray has given no indication he plans on leaving the post.
