Pam Bondi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pam Bondi
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Official portrait, 2025
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| 87th United States Attorney General | |
| Assumed office February 5, 2025 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Emil Bove (acting) Todd Blanche |
| Preceded by | Merrick Garland |
| 37th Attorney General of Florida | |
| In office January 4, 2011 – January 8, 2019 |
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| Governor | Rick Scott |
| Preceded by | Bill McCollum |
| Succeeded by | Ashley Moody |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Pamela Jo Bondi
November 17, 1965 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (since 2000) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic (until 2000) |
| Spouses |
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| Domestic partner | John Wakefield (2017–present) |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
Pamela Jo Bondi (born November 17, 1965) is an American lawyer and politician. She has served as the 87th United States Attorney General since February 2025. Before this, she was the 37th Attorney General of Florida from 2011 to 2019.
Pam Bondi grew up in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. She studied at the University of Florida and Stetson Law School. From 1994 to 2009, she worked as a government lawyer in Hillsborough County, Florida.
In 2010, Bondi was elected Attorney General of Florida. She was the first woman to hold this important position in the state. She was re-elected in 2014. After her second term, she was succeeded by Ashley Moody.
In 2020, Bondi helped President Donald Trump with legal matters during his first impeachment trial. By 2024, she was a leader in the legal section of the America First Policy Institute. In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced his plan to nominate Bondi for U.S. Attorney General. The U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination in February 2025, and she was sworn into office the next day.
Early Life and Education
Pamela Jo Bondi was born on November 17, 1965. Her hometown is Temple Terrace, Florida. Her father, Joseph Bondi, served as a city council member and later as mayor of Temple Terrace.
She graduated from C. Leon King High School in Tampa, Florida. Bondi is of Italian heritage. In 1987, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from the University of Florida. She then received her law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1990. She became a member of the Florida Bar, which means she was officially allowed to practice law in Florida, on June 24, 1991.
Early Career as a Lawyer
Before becoming Attorney General, Pam Bondi worked as a government lawyer and spokesperson in Hillsborough County, Florida. In this role, she handled various legal cases for the state. She worked on important legal cases during her time as an assistant state attorney.
Florida Attorney General (2011–2019)
As Florida's Attorney General, Pam Bondi was the state's chief legal officer. She worked to protect the rights of Floridians and enforce state laws.
Becoming Attorney General
Pam Bondi ran for Florida Attorney General in 2010. She competed against other candidates in the Republican primary election. She received support from notable figures like former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Bondi was known for her frequent appearances on TV news shows, which helped her gain public support.
In August 2010, polls showed her leading the primary race. She won the primary election with 37.89% of the votes. In the general election, she faced Dan Gelber, a former government lawyer. Bondi won the election, becoming the first woman to serve as Florida's Attorney General.
She was re-elected in November 2014, winning with 55% of the votes. Her opponent, George Sheldon, received 42%.
Key Actions as Attorney General
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As Attorney General, Bondi was involved in a lawsuit that tried to change parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Florida and 26 other states argued that a part of the law was against the United States Constitution.
In 2011, she handled cases related to financial services companies. In 2018, Bondi joined 19 other states in a lawsuit. This lawsuit aimed to change parts of the Affordable Care Act that stopped health insurance companies from charging people with existing health conditions more money or refusing them coverage.
Bondi also appeared on TV shows while serving as Attorney General. This was seen as unusual for an elected official at the time.
Campaign Donation from Donald Trump
In 2013, Pam Bondi's re-election campaign received a donation from Donald Trump. This donation was given to a political action committee (PAC) that supported her campaign. Bondi and Trump both stated that the donation was proper.
In 2016, a group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) raised questions about the donation. The IRS later found that the donation from the Trump Foundation to Bondi's PAC was against rules for nonprofit organizations. Trump was ordered to pay a fine and reimburse the foundation. Bondi and her PAC were not fined.
In March 2016, Bondi publicly supported Donald Trump in his presidential campaign. She mentioned that they had been friends for many years.
After Being Florida Attorney General
Working as a Lobbyist
After her term as Florida Attorney General ended in 2019, Pam Bondi worked for Ballard Partners. She became a lobbyist for different groups, including the country of Qatar. She later left this work to help the White House with legal matters for President Trump.
She also worked as a lobbyist for other companies, such as Amazon, Uber, and General Motors.
Helping President Trump with Legal Matters
In November 2019, the Trump administration hired Bondi to assist the White House during President Trump's first impeachment trial. She was part of President Trump's legal team for the Senate trial in January 2020.
The 2020 Presidential Election
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Pam Bondi spoke in support of President Trump at the 2020 Republican National Convention. She was a strong supporter of President Trump during the 2020 election.
Board of Trustees and Advocacy
After the 2020 election, President Trump appointed Bondi to the board of trustees for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
By 2024, Bondi was leading the legal section of the America First Policy Institute. This group helps develop policies for future presidencies. She also worked on legal cases related to the 2024 presidential election.
United States Attorney General (2025–Present)
Nomination and Confirmation
On November 21, 2024, President-elect Trump announced his decision to nominate Pam Bondi for United States Attorney General. This happened after another candidate, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration.
The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary held hearings on January 15 and 16, 2025. During these hearings, Bondi answered questions from Senators about her past work as a lobbyist, the 2020 presidential election, her relationship with President Trump, and her views on TikTok.
On January 29, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved her nomination. The full Senate then confirmed her in a 54–46 vote on February 4, 2025. Senator John Fetterman was the only Democratic senator to vote in favor of her confirmation.
Time in Office
On February 5, 2025, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas officially swore Pam Bondi into office. She became the 87th Attorney General of the United States.
Early in her term, Bondi made changes to some parts of the FBI and the Justice Department. She changed the focus of certain task forces, including the FBI's Foreign Influence Task Force and the DOJ's Task Force KleptoCapture.
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In March 2025, Bondi announced the creation of the Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7). This task force aims to seek justice for victims of the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel. The task force focuses on prosecuting those responsible and stopping support for groups involved in the attacks.
Personal Life
Pam Bondi has been married twice. She married Garret Barnes in 1990, and they divorced after 22 months. In 1996, she married Scott Fitzgerald, and they divorced in 2002. She was engaged to Greg Henderson in 2012. Since 2017, she has been in a relationship with John Wakefield.
Her younger brother, Bradley Bondi, is also a lawyer.
See also
In Spanish: Pam Bondi para niños
- List of female justice ministers
- List of female state attorneys general in the United States
- List of female United States Cabinet members
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Florida
