What to Know About Pam Bondi, Trump's Second Pick for Attorney General

 President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his nominee for U.S. Attorney General, following the withdrawal of former Rep. Matt Gaetz from consideration on Thursday. Bondi, a longstanding ally of Trump, is seen as having a stronger chance of confirmation than Gaetz. Her appointment would ensure a loyal supporter at the helm of the Department of Justice, a key position should Trump follow through with plans to investigate his political adversaries.

In his announcement, Trump stated, "For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans. Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ on its intended purpose of fighting crime and Making America Safe Again."

Bondi, a Tampa native and fourth-generation Floridian, has an extensive career in law and politics. She spent over 18 years as a prosecutor and became the first woman to serve as Florida's Attorney General in 2011. During her tenure, she worked on combating opioid addiction and shutting down "pill mills." Bondi also served on Trump's opioid and drug abuse commission.

More recently, Bondi has been involved in lobbying, working with Ballard Partners, a Republican lobbying firm, where she leads its corporate regulatory compliance practice. She has represented major corporations such as Amazon, General Motors, and Uber, as well as the Qatari government. She now focuses on law enforcement-related clients and chairs the litigation arm of the conservative America First Policy Institute.

A staunch Trump ally, Bondi has supported the former president during legal challenges. She attended his New York hush money trial earlier this year and was part of his impeachment defense team in 2020. Bondi also faced scrutiny in 2013 when her office chose not to investigate Trump University after receiving a $25,000 donation from Trump’s foundation to her political committee. She denied any link between the donation and her decision.

Trump had expressed interest in bringing Bondi into his administration as early as 2018, after the departure of his first attorney general, Jeff Sessions. While he eventually appointed Bill Barr, Bondi’s relationship with Trump remained close.

Bondi's involvement in the Trump Media & Technology Group has also raised attention. Her stocks and warrants in the company could be worth approximately $3.9 million if she retains them, according to Barron's. Additionally, her brother, Brad Bondi, played a role in the deal that led to the company’s public listing.

Bondi has been a vocal supporter of Trump’s claims of election fraud following the 2020 election. She echoed false assertions of voter fraud, including appearing alongside Rudy Giuliani to promote these claims. Her tenure as Florida's Attorney General also included opposition to the Obama administration’s policies, such as the Affordable Care Act, and she has been criticized for her stance on same-sex marriage, which she argued would harm Floridians.

President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will nominate Pam Bondi for attorney general, following the withdrawal of his previous pick, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

The significance: The role of attorney general is expected to be one of the most crucial positions in Trump's second term. The president-elect has emphasized the need for a loyalist to lead the nation’s top law enforcement agency, with a mandate to advance his agenda, which may involve investigating his political opponents.