The Possible Future of the DOJ: Who is Pam Bondi?
By Ethan Harris ‘27
Donald Trump recently announced Pam Bondi as his appointment for the United States Attorney General. This comes after Matt Gaetz removed his name from the potential appointment. Bondi will have to be confirmed by the Senate, but if appointed, will we see drastic change in the Department of Justice?
Who is Pam Bondi?
Pam Bondi was born in Tampa in 1987 and raised in Florida. She attended the University of Florida, and swiftly after, she graduated from the Stetson University College of Law. After passing the Florida bar in 1991, Bondi began her career as an assistant state prosecutor in Hillsborough County. She quickly worked her way up into the felony crimes division, and made a name for herself prosecuting high-status cases. Cases involving matricide, a professional MLB athlete, and much more established her as the spokesperson for the state attorney’s office, and a well-known name in the Florida legal world. Bondi entered the political arena in 2010 when she became Florida’s first female attorney general. Serving two consecutive terms as AG, Bondi focused her efforts on lowering opioid abuse, attacking the Affordable Care Act, and fighting for changes to the Florida state constitution.
Why did Donald Trump choose Pam Bondi?
Donald Trump and Bondi have a long history. Bondi, a self-proclaimed Trump loyalist, became acquainted with Trump during her time in law school. Subsequently, she was very connected to Trump during her run for Attorney General of Florida. Trump actively supported her campaign in both 2010 and 2014. During Trump’s political entry in 2016, Bondi was an avid supporter of his campaign. In 2018, Bondi was chosen as part of Trump’s impeachment defense counsel. After Donald Trump’s loss in 2020, Bondi became a chairperson at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank dedicated to fighting for Donald Trump’s political agenda. She continues to be an avid supporter and loyalist to Donald Trump. She supports Trump’s claims of a stolen 2020 election and his claims that he has been unfairly targeted by the federal government. Donald Trump chose Pam Bondi because she has a perfect mix for a Trump Administration: highly experienced and successful in her field, and an extreme and faithful Trump loyalist.
What does the future Trump administration want to change about the Department of Justice?
Pam Bondi has long expressed distaste for the Biden administration’s DOJ. She believes Biden and the Democrats have been unfairly targeting Donald Trump and his associates. On Fox News in 2023, Pam Bondi said, “When Republicans take back the White House, and we will be back in there in 18 months or less, you know what's going to happen? The Department of Justice, the prosecutors will be prosecuted—the bad ones…” She is and has been a strong proponent of completely revamping the DOJ, saying, “We can clean house next term and that's what has to happen.” What is arguably just as important as Bondi’s plans are Trump’s plans for the DOJ. Donald Trump encapsulates his DOJ plans as “Stopping extremist views in the justice department.” In Joe Biden’s first year of his term, he revoked Executive Order 13950. This order didn’t allow for certain diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in federal contractors. Trump called this move a “Marxist executive order that seeks to impose racist and woke sexual ideology across the federal government.” He stated that on his first day back he will reverse Biden’s decision, and end the “unlawful discrimination and civil rights abuses” he believes is occurring
In reality, what is likely to happen?
The reality of the Department of Justice’s future is filled with ambiguity. Overpromising is a widespread political act, and there is no way of knowing how much of what Donald Trump and Pam Bondi have said about the DOJ will actually proceed. Bondi will have to find a fine line between drastic change and staying within the bounds of the law. The DOJ has a core value of independence and impartiality. The DOJ states, “The Justice Department works each day to earn the public’s trust by following the facts and the law wherever they may lead, without prejudice or improper influence.” There is fear among citizens and politicians that Donald Trump may want to make the DOJ his personal counsel, but in reality, Pam Bondi has to watch closely how they proceed, as they could quickly go outside the scope of their legality. On the other hand, Pam Bondi may be on thin ice when it comes to fulfilling Trump’s plans. During Trump’s previous presidency, Jeff Sessions and William Barr were either fired or resigned from their attorney general positions for disagreeing with Donald Trump. Bondi will have to navigate her future position attentively. She’ll have to balance staying loyal to Trump and all of his decisions in order to keep her job, while also not exceeding the power of the DOJ. In reality, there may be very little change, but only time will tell us how true Trump’s plans for the DOJ will become.
Ethan Harris is a sophomore majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice.
Sources
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