U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has named seasoned prosecutor Pam Bondi as his new attorney general nominee, hours after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration.
Bondi has extensive experience in law enforcement and previously served as Florida’s attorney general.
Bondi, a long-time Trump loyalist, served on his legal team during his first Senate impeachment hearing and openly supported him by attending his hush money trial in New York.
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 a social media post announcing his choice.
In 2019, she joined his White House to focus on “proactive impeachment messaging”, serving both as his legal advisor and defence attorney during his first impeachment – during which he was acquitted.
She continued to be part of Trump’s legal team in 2020 as it made false claims that the election had been stolen from Trump due to voter fraud.
She also served on Trump’s Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission, and more recently, has headed the legal arm of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank founded by former Trump staff members.
If confirmed by the Senate, Bondi will become the country’s chief law enforcement officer, in charge of the justice department’s more than 115,000 employees.
She would also play a key role in attempting to implement Trump’s vow to punish his political enemies once he takes office.
She has been a vocal critic of the criminal cases brought against Trump, as well as special counsel Jack Smith, who charged Trump in two federal cases.
