On February 4, 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed Pam Bondi as the nation’s 87th Attorney General with a 54-46 vote, marking the appointment of a steadfast ally of President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Justice. Bondi, who previously served as Florida’s Attorney General from 2011 to 2019, was sworn in the following day by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas at the White House.
Upon assuming office, Attorney General Bondi swiftly implemented a series of directives aimed at realigning the Justice Department’s priorities with the current administration’s agenda. One of her initial actions was to establish a “Weaponization Working Group” tasked with investigating political biases in prior investigations against President Trump and his supporters, including those related to the January 6 Capitol attack.
In a significant policy shift, Bondi announced a reorientation of the Department’s focus from combating corporate corruption and Russian oligarchs to targeting drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations. This move includes prioritizing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigations related to cartels and disbanding Task Force KleptoCapture, which was established to enforce sanctions on Russian oligarchs.
Bondi also issued a directive allowing Justice Department attorneys to be disciplined or dismissed if they refuse to comply with advancing legal arguments on behalf of the administration. This measure aims to align the Department’s actions with President Trump’s policies and includes reviewing criminal and civil cases against Trump during his time out of office. Additionally, Bondi plans to reduce enforcement of U.S. foreign influence laws, focusing on cases resembling traditional espionage and shifting to civil enforcement.
Further emphasizing the administration’s stance on immigration, Bondi ordered a 60-day suspension of federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. This directive halts all Department of Justice funds to these jurisdictions and disallows new contracts or grants supporting services to removable or illegal aliens. The move aligns with Republican initiatives to pressure local governments to comply with federal immigration policies.
In a move reflecting the administration’s focus on religious liberty, President Trump announced at the National Prayer Breakfast that Attorney General Bondi will lead efforts to eliminate “anti-Christian bias” within the federal government. This initiative includes establishing a task force to address discrimination against Christians and fully prosecute related violence and vandalism. Plans are also underway to form a Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty and a Faith Office in the White House to defend the rights of Christians nationwide.
These initial actions by Attorney General Bondi signal a significant shift in the Department of Justice’s priorities, aligning closely with President Trump’s policy objectives and addressing concerns raised by his supporters regarding previous investigations and enforcement practices.
By James Thompson. James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.
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