Trump names 'smart & tough' Pam Bondi as his new attorney general pick hours after Matt Gaetz's withdrawal

Hours after former House Representative Matt Gaetz announced his withdrawal from consideration for the post of Attorney General, President-elect Donald Trump named Florida’s former AG Pam Bondi as his new pick for the role. Trump made the announcement on Thursday evening after his first pick withdrew from consideration.

The 59-year-old has remained a crucial part of Trump’s inner circle for years and is known to provide the president-elect with legal advice. Interestingly, Bondi was also one of the lawyers who defended Trump during his first Senate impeachment trial.

“I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States. 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 wrote on his social media app TruthSocial.

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Gaetz withdraws from consideration

On Thursday, Gaetz announced that he would withdraw his attorney general nomination just over a week after Trump tapped him for the role. The Republican firebrand was touted as one of the most controversial picks in Trump’s upcoming cabinet since he has been the subject of multiple investigations into alleged conduct related to sex trafficking, obstruction, sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.

While the Congressman denied all the wrongdoings, he argued that the allegations against him were becoming a “distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition.” Shortly after being picked for the AG post earlier this month, Gaetz resigned from Congress.

The Republican lawmaker’s resignation also came days before the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to meet to consider releasing a report into its investigation into his conduct. The panel ended up meeting days later after its jurisdiction over Gaetz ended and committee members went on to state that they did not reach an agreement on whether to release the report.

Gaetz’s withdrawal came a day after his meeting with the Senate Republicans. “I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback - and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” the Florida Republican wrote in a post on X, formally known as Twitter.

I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback - and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance…

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024

“There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1. I will forever be honoured that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America,” he added.

In the past, even Republican Senators have expressed scepticism over Gaetz’s chances of being confirmed next year, despite being slated to hold a narrow majority in the chamber.

‘Smart and tough’ Pam Bondi takes the charge

Bondi was the first woman to serve as Florida’s attorney general and has spent eight years in the role after working as assistant state attorney from Hillsborough County. She is known to be primarily focused on curbing immigration and combating the opioid epidemic during her tenure.

The 59-year-old entered the mainstream political arena after she worked in the White House as both a legal advisor and defence attorney for Trump during the 2020 Senate impeachment trial. She was also a surrogate for the president-elect in the most recent campaign.

If confirmed for the AG post, Bondi would be in charge of the US Department of Justice’s 100,000 employees. She is also expected to oversee investigative bodies like the FBI and DEA. Hence, she is ultimately assuming the top job in a department that has been involved in investigating and prosecuting Trump for years.