Following Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump names Pam Bondi as his attorney general

After Matt Gaetz withdrew, Pam Bondi, a Trump friend and former Florida attorney general, was nominated as the US attorney general.

Hours after Matt Gaetz pulled his name from consideration, US President-elect Donald Trump announced that veteran prosecutor Pam Bondi would be his replacement choice for attorney general.

Bondi, a former attorney general of Florida, has a lengthy history in law enforcement.

Bondi, a longtime Trump supporter, was on his legal team during his first Senate impeachment hearing and openly backed him by attending his New York hush money trial.

Trump announced his selection on social media, saying, “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families.”

At a recent Trump event, Bondi told supporters that she views Trump as a “friend,” a relationship that dates back to his 2016 campaign.

She joined his White House in 2019 to work on “proactive impeachment messaging,” acting as his defense lawyer and legal counselor during his initial impeachment, which resulted in his acquittal.

In 2020, she remained a member of Trump’s legal team despite the baseless allegations that voter fraud had stolen the election from him.

In addition, she was a member of Trump’s Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission. More recently, she has led the legal division of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank that was formed by former Trump employees.

Bondi, if confirmed by the Senate, will be the nation’s top law enforcement official, overseeing the justice department’s about $45 billion (£35.7 billion) budget and more than 115,000 workers.

She would also be crucial in trying to carry out Trump’s promise to punish his political rivals when he is elected.

She has been an outspoken opponent of both special counsel Jack Smith, who charged Trump in two federal cases, and the criminal cases against him.

Trump wrote on Thursday night, “The partisan Department of Justice has been used as a weapon against me and other Republicans for far too long – Not anymore.”

“Pam will bring the Department of Justice back to its original mission of combating crime and restoring America’s safety.”

Trump also intends to dismantle criminal groups, safeguard US borders, halt “weaponized government,” and rebuild Americans’ “badly shattered faith and confidence” in the department.

The hope of Trump’s transition team is that Bondi’s nomination process will be less turbulent than Gaetz’s.

According to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who responded to the news by describing Bondi’s appointment as a “grand slam, touchdown, hole in one, ace, hat trick, slam dunk, Olympic gold medal pick,” she “will be confirmed quickly.”

After days of deliberation on whether to disclose a congressional report on the sexual misconduct charges against him, Gaetz announced he would not run for the prominent cabinet position. The news of Bondi’s nomination came approximately six hours later.

The 41-year-old claimed that the turmoil around his possible candidacy “was unfairly becoming a distraction” to the work of the incoming Trump administration when he announced his resignation.

The investigation’s results, which were prompted by claims of sexual misconduct and illegal drug usage, were included in the report. Although Gaetz has strongly refuted the allegations, he stated that he wished to retire in order to prevent a “needlessly protracted Washington scuffle.”

Gaetz congratulated Bondi later on Thursday, describing her as “a stellar selection by President Trump.”

She is an accomplished lawyer, a motivating leader, and an advocate for all Americans. He stated, “She will bring the necessary reforms to DOJ.”

Gaetz left his House position shortly after Trump appointed him attorney general, so it’s unknown if he will now attempt to keep it.

Trump has appointed a number of close loyalists to senior roles in his government since his overwhelming election victory earlier this month.