Pam Bondi He assumed Wednesday as the United States Attorney General in a ceremony in the Oval office, marking the beginning of his mandate at the head of the Department of Justice (DOJ) at a time of deep transformations promoted by President Donald Trump.
The event, in which Bondi swore the position before the judge of the Supreme Court Clarence ThomasHe represented the first time Trump participated in the inauguration of a member of his cabinet in his second term. The arrival of Bondi to the DOJ occurs in the midst of layoff 2021, after The massive pardons granted by Trump on their first day of government.
Bondi, former Attorney General of Florida, assumed the position after being confirmed by the Senate in a 54-46 vote, in which only a Democrat, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, joined the Republicans. During his confirmation hearing, he refused to rule out possible investigations against Trump adversaries and reiterated his position that the DOJ had been “politicized for years.”
The arrival of Bondi to the DOJ coincides with a conflict with the FBI about the identification of agents who participated in the investigation of January 6. This week, FBI agents filed demands to stop the request of the department to reveal the names of the researchers, since they consider that it could be the previous step to mass dismissals.
On Tuesday, the interim attached attorney general demanded the list of names to evaluate possible changes in the staff. The next day, the same official sent a memorandum to FBI staff accusing the interim director of the “insubordination” agency. In the document, he said that employees who “acted ethically and following orders” should not fear for their positions, but warned that those who acted with “corrupt or partisan intention” could face consequences.
During the ceremony, Trump praised Bondi’s trajectory and expressed confidence that his leadership will end what he described as “the political instrumentalization of federal order forces.” For his part, Bondi said he will restore the integrity of the DOJ and fight the violent crime. “I will make this country proud,” he said.
Republicans have highlighted their history in Florida in the fight against human trafficking and opioid traffic. With Bondi in command, the DOJ is expected to implement significant changes in its structure and in the priorities of application of the law.
(With AP information)
