Pam Bondi was sworn in as the 87th United States Attorney General on February 5, 2025, following her confirmation by the Senate in a 54-46 vote. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas administered the oath of office. Bondi’s confirmation marks her return to government service after previously serving as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019.
President Donald Trump nominated Bondi for the position on November 21, 2024, following the withdrawal of Matt Gaetz from consideration. She faced two days of hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee in January, with questions regarding her tenure as Florida’s top law enforcement official, her past lobbying work, and her role in Trump’s first impeachment defense. Despite opposition from Senate Democrats and some concerns about potential conflicts of interest, Bondi’s nomination advanced out of committee in a 12-10 vote before securing confirmation on February 4. During her tenure as Florida attorney general, Bondi focused on issues such as human trafficking, drug enforcement, and legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act.
As attorney general, Bondi is expected to oversee the Department of Justice’s priorities under the Trump administration, including immigration enforcement, federal prosecution policies, and government oversight investigations. On her first day in office, she issued directives prioritizing investigations into alleged “weaponization” of the federal government, providing Justice Department support for expanded immigration enforcement, reviewing federal consent decrees, and lifting the moratorium on federal executions.
Bondi’s appointment makes her the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, responsible for overseeing the Justice Department’s operations, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.