President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that Pam Bondi, Florida’s former attorney general, will be his choice to head the Justice Department. This came shortly after Matt Gaetz, who was originally tapped for the role, withdrew from consideration earlier the same day.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” Trump, 78, said in a statement on Truth Social. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. 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!”
Gaetz, 42, had been named as Trump’s attorney general nominee on Nov. 13. However, mounting challenges—including insufficient support among Republican senators—led him to step aside.
The former congressman’s confirmation prospects were further clouded by an anticipated release of a House ethics report detailing allegations of misconduct and illicit drug use.
Bondi, 59, was Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, breaking new ground as the first woman to hold the position. Her long-standing relationship with Trump positioned her as a strong ally of his administration.
“Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families,” Trump said in his statement. “Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country.”
“She did such an incredible job, that I asked her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during my first Term — We saved many lives!” Trump added.
Bondi has played a prominent role in Trump’s political campaigns and legal efforts. At the 2016 Republican National Convention, she energized the crowd by leading chants of “lock her up” directed at Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Four years later, at the 2020 convention, she criticized Hunter Biden for his “corrupt” overseas business dealings.
After leaving office in 2019, Bondi served on Trump’s defense team during his first impeachment trial in 2020, which culminated in his acquittal by the Senate along party lines. She also participated in Trump’s legal challenges during both the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections.
During her time as Florida’s attorney general, Bondi spearheaded efforts to have the Affordable Care Act declared unconstitutional. That challenge ultimately failed in a 2012 Supreme Court decision.
Gaetz, meanwhile, faced considerable opposition from Republican senators, some of whom voiced concerns about allegations against him stemming from a House ethics investigation.
The allegations included testimony from witnesses who also appeared in a Justice Department investigation that concluded without any charges. Despite his repeated denials of wrongdoing, the scrutiny hindered Gaetz’s ability to secure the necessary votes for confirmation.
Gaetz announced his withdrawal in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I had excellent meetings with Senators” but acknowledging that “it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition.”
According to sources who spoke with The Post, Gaetz privately received a whip count showing he had “no path to confirmation” and subsequently decided to step aside. Just a day earlier, he had expressed confidence in his nomination.
Gaetz resigned from Congress on the same day Trump nominated him for attorney general. Whether he will reclaim his seat in the upcoming 119th Congress remains uncertain.
A Republican insider previously suggested to The NY Post that Gaetz’s brief nomination may have been a calculated move to bolster his political ambitions. “He’s making a play to become a martyr to boost [his 2026] gubernatorial prospects [in Florida],” the source speculated.
{Matzav.com}
