Less than 24 hours after former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) withdrew his name from consideration for Attorney General, President-elect Donald Trump announced his new pick: former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Trump shared the news on Truth Social, writing, “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.”
The announcement sparked swift backlash from legal experts, journalists, and critics, many highlighting Bondi’s controversial past. David Cay Johnston, a law professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, tweeted, “Pam Bondi, Trump’s new AG pick, is so corrupt. She took an illegal $25,000 campaign donation from the Trump Foundation. Bondi kept the money (!!!), given when—as Florida AG—she shut down her office’s investigation of the utterly fraudulent Trump University.”
Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell provided further context, writing, “Hi America. If you want to understand why Donald Trump likes Pam Bondi, know this: Complaints were filed about Trump U. with attorneys general in two states. – NY’s AG pursued and got a $25 million settlement – Trump gave Bondi $25k, and she did nothing.”
The criticism extended beyond Trump University. Journalist Ken Klippenstein pointed out Bondi’s lobbying ties, writing, “Trump’s new pick for AG, Pam Bondi, was a registered lobbyist for the government of Qatar.” Brandon Wolf, national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, called attention to Bondi’s contentious history with LGBTQ+ rights. “Two days after my best friends and 47 others were murdered at Pulse Nightclub, Pam Bondi tried to paint herself as a friend to the community.
She hoped we’d forget that, just TWO years earlier, she said our freedom to marry would cause ‘significant public harm.’ We didn’t.” Other critics raised questions about her record on high-profile cases. Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross tweeted, “The same Pam Bondi who let Jeffrey Epstein slide.”
Skyler Johnson, chair of Suffolk Young Democrats in New York, took aim at Trump’s framing of Bondi’s appointment. “Trump makes sure to point out that she was the first female Attorney General of Florida. I’m sorry—I thought acknowledging such things was an unforgivable sin, and proof someone was selected because of DEI. Are the rules different now?” As Bondi’s nomination moves forward, it is already drawing significant scrutiny, raising concerns about her past and how it aligns with Trump’s agenda.