President-elect Donald Trump appears to be replacing one Sunshine State nominee with another in the effort to select America’s next Attorney General.
Trump has tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to be the U.S. Attorney General after his previous nominee, Matt Gaetz, bowed out of his nomination.
“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance,” Gaetz posted on X after withdrawing himself from consideration, The Dallas Express reported.
Trump did not waste time, using social media to thank Gaetz and tout Bondi.
“I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administraion, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all the great things he will do!” Trump posted.
Regarding Bondi, Trump announced, “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families.”
“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 continued.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” he said. “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!” Trump added.
Bondi, 59, served as Florida’s Attorney General from 2011 until 2019. She spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2020 and has supported Trump since he ran for president in 2016. During the first Trump administration, rumors occasionally swirled that the 45th president would select her for some role in the White House.
Bondi’s nomination follows the unsuccessful selection of then-Congressman Matt Gaetz for the job.
Gaetz immediately resigned his congressional seat after the announcement of his nomination. However, his nomination was mired in accusations of sexual misconduct and drug use that he denied and for which evidence has not been made available to the public. The Department of Justice previously looked into the matter but never brought charges.
A House Ethics Committee inquiry authored a report based on its investigation, but that document was not released.
Nevertheless, leaks to the press indicated Gaetz would not get the 51 Senate votes necessary to be confirmed.
Gaetz told his allies that he believed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Senator-elect John Curtis (R-UT) would vote against him if his nomination proceeded to a final vote, The New York Times reported.
Gaetz also quashed the possibility that he would return to Congress next year through the special off-year election to fill his seat.
“I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” he told commentator Charlie Kirk in an interview.