President-elect Donald Trump has tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his new pick for U.S. Attorney General. Although she was Trump’s second choice for the job, Bondi has been his long-time ally and is likely to calm Republicans in and out of Florida who were concerned about his previous selection.
Bondi was nominated just hours after former Panhandle U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz stepped down from being considered for the role. His nomination brought bi-partisan criticism, citing concerns about his lack of experience as an attorney and allegations that he sex trafficked a minor. He has denied those allegations.
Barry University Political Science professor Sean Foreman said Gaetz stepping down shocked no one.
“Why Trump thought about nominating gates in the first place is a bit of a mystery. Was he a foil to say, ‘Hey, look at this guy,’ and when he gets shot down, then it makes it easier for other nominees to get through? Or did they really think they could push Matt Gaetz through this process? Or is there another plan for putting Matt Gaetz in a different position down the road? So, I think that needs to be revealed in time,” he said.
Bondi’s selection made more sense to state political watchers. She was Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019. She was a prosecutor in Hillsborough County for almost 20 years. Bondi also has a long-standing professional relationship with Trump, getting campaign donations from his foundation all the way back in 20213, serving on a drug policy panel under his last administration, and being one of his attorneys during his first impeachment trials.
Unlike Gaetz, she is also in the good graces of Republicans nationally. As Florida AG, she signed onto a national lawsuit opposing the Affordable Care Act. She also advocated for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process, appearing in national ads supporting him.
Her conservative bonafide’s aside, she previously signaled support for issues that now run counter to the direction of her party. In 2017 as Florida AG, she signaled support for LGBTQ employment protections when a bill codifying those protections were making its way through the Florida legislature.
“I haven’t read the bill, but of course, it’s something that I would support. We always had a policy in my office regarding, um, LGBTQ employees in my office and protecting their rights, I’d love to take a look at it of course I would sure,” she said.
Foreman doesn’t think she will have any difficulty getting confirmed by the Senate.
“Her background is going to be insignificant compared to the other nominees. This is smooth sailing. I think this is an easy check mark now for the Trump administration to say they've got a solid Attorney General nominee in place,” he said.
Bondi is also partner at the lobbying firm Ballard Partners. Justin Sayfie, also a partner at the firm, applauded her nomination. He said her selection along with several other high-profile appointments to the Trump administration from Florida will serve the state’s residents well.
“Florida has really punched below its weight in Washington for many years. And as a long time Florida resident, I'm delighted to see the large number of Floridians that are now going to be in positions of power and influence in Washington, D.C.” he said.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried agrees that Florida Republicans have been at the center of forming Trump’s administration, but views that as a negative.
“They're wanting to make America Florida. And we've been the lab rat for Project 2025, for the last six years. And so that's what's happening. You know that Trump is taking a lot of Florida people up with him to Washington, D.C., and it's one unethical person after the other,” she said.
What direction she will take as U.S. Attorney General is unclear, but Trump seems convinced he has found his person, writing in his announcement post that she will be a “America First Fighter.”