WASHINGTON (AP) — Pam Bondi, a longtime ally of Donald Trump, was confirmed as the U.S. attorney general by the Senate on Tuesday evening. This appointment places Bondi in charge of a Justice Department that has already experienced turmoil due to the dismissal of career employees perceived as disloyal to the Republican president. The confirmation vote was largely split along party lines, with only Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a Democrat, joining with all Republicans to approve her confirmation with a vote of 54-46.
Bondi, who previously served as the attorney general of Florida and worked as a corporate lobbyist, is anticipated to lead a significant transformation of the department, which has drawn criticism from Trump for pursuing criminal charges against him. She will oversee the FBI, which has been under scrutiny for its handling of investigations involving the president, who has expressed a desire to retaliate against those he sees as opponents.
Republicans have lauded Bondi as a highly qualified leader who they believe will bring necessary changes to a department they feel unfairly targeted Trump through investigations that led to two indictments. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., stated, “Pam Bondi has pledged to refocus the department on its fundamental mission: prosecuting crime and safeguarding Americans from threats to their safety and liberties.”
Despite assurances from Bondi that her decisions would not be politically motivated, concerns have been raised about her close ties to the president. During her confirmation hearing, Bondi declined to rule out potential investigations into Trump’s adversaries. She echoed Trump’s assertions that the criminal cases against him were politically motivated, stating that the Justice Department had been politicized for many years and needed to be reformed.
Senator Peter Welch, D-Vt., praised Bondi’s accomplishments and competence but expressed worry about Trump’s demands. “It appears that what the president is seeking is a pledge of loyalty to him rather than honest, straightforward advice, even if it involves prosecuting a political opponent,” Welch remarked.
Bondi’s confirmation coincided with FBI agents suing the Justice Department over efforts to compile a list of employees involved in the Jan. 6 prosecutions, a move that agents fear could lead to mass terminations. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove instructed the acting FBI director to provide a list of all FBI employees who worked on the Jan. 6 cases, prompting concerns among agents. Bove, who previously defended Trump in legal matters, announced that the Justice Department would conduct a review to assess if additional personnel actions were necessary.
Recent developments have seen senior FBI executives being ousted, prosecutors on special counsel Jack Smith’s team who investigated Trump being fired, and a group of prosecutors in the D.C. U.S. attorney’s office working on the Jan. 6 investigation being terminated.
Bondi emphasized during her confirmation process that she will prioritize the fair and just execution of justice within the department.
During her confirmation hearing, she affirmed that she would not pursue individuals for political reasons and pledged that the public, not the president, would be her primary concern. However, some of her responses seemed to align with Trump’s campaign rhetoric regarding a politically motivated justice system. “They targeted Donald Trump,” Bondi informed lawmakers. “They went after him – actually, starting in 2016, they targeted his campaign. They have initiated numerous investigations against him.” She further stated, “If I become attorney general, I will ensure that the office remains free from political influences.”
Bondi was nominated by Trump for the position of attorney general after it became evident that his initial choice, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, lacked adequate support from Republican senators for confirmation. Bondi has been a longstanding figure in Trump’s circle and has often defended the president-elect in various media appearances amidst his legal troubles. During a Fox News appearance in 2023, she insinuated that Justice Department prosecutors deemed “bad” would face scrutiny under the Trump administration. “The investigators will themselves be subject to investigation,” she declared.
Smith has maintained that his decisions were not influenced by politics and that the evidence gathered by his team was substantial enough to secure a conviction against Trump in a trial involving charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. However, Smith ultimately dropped this case and another one accusing Trump of unlawfully retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, following Trump’s electoral victory in November. He cited a longstanding Justice Department policy prohibiting the pursuit of criminal cases against a sitting president as the reason for dismissing these charges.
