Pam Bondi Appointed U.S. Attorney General After Decade of Aligning With Trump

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Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, has been appointed as the new U.S. Attorney General, drawing scrutiny over her long professional relationship with former President Donald Trump. Critics point to a series of legal decisions dating back to 2013 that they argue demonstrate a pattern of alignment with Trump's political and legal interests, including her office's handling of the Trump University case and her lack of action against Jeffrey Epstein during her tenure as Florida AG.

Why it matters

Bondi's appointment raises concerns about the independence and impartiality of the U.S. Department of Justice, as her history of aligning with Trump's interests could undermine public trust in the agency's ability to uphold the rule of law without political interference.

The details

As Florida attorney general in 2013, Bondi's office was considering whether to join other states in investigating Trump University, an educational program promoted by Trump that faced allegations of fraud. Around that time, Bondi personally requested a political contribution from Trump, and four days later, her political action committee received a $25,000 check from the Trump Foundation, which was later found to have violated IRS rules. Bondi's office then announced it would not move forward with legal action against Trump University. Bondi has also faced criticism for her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case during her tenure as Florida AG, with critics arguing that she did not initiate independent state action against Epstein despite pledging to "fight to put human trafficking monsters where they belong, behind bars." More recently, Bondi has been accused of shielding references to Trump in the release of Epstein-related documents.

• In 2013, Bondi's office was considering whether to join other states in investigating Trump University.
• In 2013, Bondi personally requested a political contribution from Trump.
• Four days after a newspaper article about Bondi's office reviewing Trump University, Bondi's political action committee received a $25,000 check from the Trump Foundation.
• After receiving the donation, Bondi's office announced it would not move forward with legal action against Trump University.
• Bondi served as Florida's attorney general from 2011 to 2019.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Department of Justice has not publicly commented on the specifics of redaction decisions related to Epstein-related documents, which are typically made to protect privacy rights, ongoing investigations or legal constraints.