Here’s how Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for attorney general, could lead the next Justice Department

President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday to lead the U.S. Department of Justice for a second term—a quick decision but one that didn’t surprise many in Trump’s orbit.

That’s because Bondi, 59, has emerged as a close ally of the president-elect in recent years—including defending him in his impeachment proceedings, and more recently, as election day approaches, serving as chairman. of the Center for Law and Justice at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) a think tank founded by former Trump staffers.

Like former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, who withdrew his name from the attorney general’s consideration Thursday afternoon, Bondi is a Florida native and is viewed by many as a loyalist to the president-elect, dedicated to removing what the president-elect has. described as “weapons” of the Department of Justice.

However, beyond that, the two seem to have little in common.

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A native of Florida, Bondi has spent years as a prosecutor in the Sunshine State—spending 18 as a prosecutor in the Hillsborough County District Attorney’s Office before being appointed in 2010 to serve as Florida’s first female attorney general.

Recently, Bondi has used his perch at AFPI to voice concerns about election security—a major issue Republicans have wanted to emphasize as they file dozens of re-election cases, especially in large emerging states.

If confirmed, Bondi is likely to use his position to implement Trump’s tough-on-crime policy proposals, including cracking down on cartels, fentanyl, trafficking and more.

Trump’s Agenda47 website has called for policies such as extending the death penalty for human traffickers, ending welfare for immigrants living in the US illegally, and fighting violent crime in big cities, which Trump described as “pools of bloodshed.” and crime.”

However, in the hours after his appointment, it was not clear how he planned to implement some of these proposals.

One member of Trump’s transition team pointed Fox News Digital to a widely distributed clip of CNN legal analyst Elie Honig highlighting Bondi’s qualifications for the role.

“Pam Bondi is, without question, qualified to be attorney general,” Honig said in the clip, calling her experience “on par with, or better than, most United States attorneys we’ve seen in the last 50 years or so.” like that.”

“Even CNN likes his qualifications,” a source familiar with the matter, who declined to be identified, told Fox News Digital.

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Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi points to a court order giving the Trump campaign more access to vote-counting operations at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Nov. 5, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Those close to Bondi praised his long record as a prosecutor, as well as his loyalty to the president-elect, with whom he has worked since 2020-first, helping to represent him in his first impeachment trial, and currently in his post at AFPI. .

Bondi is “about integrity and the proper use of justice and fairness,” said Gianno Caldwell, head of the Caldwell Institute of Public Safety, an organization designed to combat violent crime. Bondi serves on that group’s advisory board.

“I think you’re going to be able to cut out a lot of bad apples,” Caldwell added. “And put the Department of Justice back to its core, which is law and order, and fighting crime.”

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Pam Bondi, former Florida attorney general, arrives at the Fiserv Forum on the second day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Like other top contenders in the role. Bondi has not been shy about going after Trump’s critics, including special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 to investigate both the alleged attempt by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, and Trump’s impeachment. of the allegedly classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

Smith he seems to be closing his investigation– which is acceptable to the president-elect, who had vowed to fire him “within two seconds” of taking office.

Still, Bondi joined Trump’s criticism, using a recent radio interview to describe Smith and his prosecution team as “terrible” people who are trying to make a name for themselves by “going after Donald Trump and weaponizing our legal system.”

“Attorney General-designate Bondi looks forward to the confirmation process and answering any questions members of Congress may have,” said Alex Pfeiffer, a spokesman for Trump’s transition team.

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Bondi’s life was “dedicated to keeping the American people safe,” he added. “He looks forward to continuing that work at the Department of Justice.”