The U.S. Senate confirmed Pam Bondi this week, President Trump's nominee for U.S. attorney general. She was confirmed on a mostly party-line vote – 54 to 46 – with Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman joining the Republicans in supporting her.
The former Florida state attorney general is well-known for her strong pro-life support and is already beginning to fulfill her promises to end the weaponization of the U.S. Justice Department.
Bondi issued a number of major directives on her first day leading the department including a directive regarding "zealous advocacy," Fox News reports.
She told the department attorneys their responsibilities include "aggressively enforcing criminal laws passed by Congress, but also vigorously defending presidential policies and actions on behalf of the United States against legal challenges."
"The discretion afforded Justice Department attorneys with respect to those responsibilities does not include latitude to substitute their personal political views or judgments for those that prevailed in the election," the memo states.
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The directive also outlines the establishment of the "Weaponization Working Group," which will review all law enforcement agencies' activities over the past four years that displayed "politicized justice."
This includes potential abuses of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, the DOJ's targeting of concerned parents at school board meetings, and the FBI's targeting of Catholics.
Before her confirmation, Bondi sent a clear message on how she plans to lead the department.
During her Senate hearing, she pointed to examples of the previous administration's persecution of "law-abiding Americans whose offense was exercising their Constitutional Rights," including pro-life advocates peacefully protesting outside of abortion clinics and concerned parents.
As CBN News reported, in 2022, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee found evidence that under Bondi's predecessor, Attorney General Merrick Garland, the FBI monitored parents who spoke up against local school board policies.
Additionally, a controversial FBI memo reportedly sought to recruit Catholics to spy on fellow churchgoers and report "radicalism."
"We've never seen anything like it before in American history. It has been one of the most disgraceful chapters in American history," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) remarked during the hearing.
Bondi says those types of targeting actions "will stop" under her leadership.
"Going after parents at a school board meeting has got to stop. For practicing your religion, sending in informants to Catholic Churches must stop… Will stop. Must stop," she said.
Pam Bondi on the weaponization of the DOJ against parents, Catholics, and patriots:
“Going after parents at a school board meeting has got to stop. For practicing your religion, sending in informants to Catholic Churches must stop… Will stop. Must stop.” pic.twitter.com/sDpX9hOn3m
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 15, 2025
Defending Religious Liberty
President Trump announced Thursday that Bondi will be heading a task force to protect Christians from religious discrimination.
"The mission of this task force will be to immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government, including at the DOJ which was absolutely terrible," Trump said at a private meeting following the National Prayer Breakfast.
Under the new initiative by the President, Bondi would also work to "fully prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism in our society and to move heaven and earth to defend the rights of Christians and religious believers nationwide."
Bondi's record clearly shows that she is a strong ally of religious liberty.
She previously served as an attorney at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI). In 2022, Bondi and AFPI filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting First Liberty's Supreme Court case on behalf of Coach Joe Kennedy, a Washington state high school football coach who was fired for praying on the field.
"AFPI is proud to support Coach Kennedy's case and stand up for Americans' constitutional rights," Bondi said at the time. "Every American has the right to engage in individual religious expression without the fear of losing their job."
"Our great Nation was founded on the sacred right of every American to practice his or her faith in peace without fear of retribution, repression, or retaliation by any cultural movement or government officials seeking to coerce compliance against personal religious conscience," she added. "Coach Kennedy's case serves as a reminder to us all of the fragility of our liberties—especially religious liberty."
Meanwhile, Bondi is also not afraid to let her faith in Christ shine like a "beacon on a hill," often wearing a silver cross necklace. As CBN News reported, former Trump faith adviser and pastor, Paula White, openly prayed with Bondi before her confirmation hearing.
PHENOMENAL. Pastor Paula White praying over Pam Bondi today before her Senate Confirmation Hearing to be United States Attorney General.@Paula_White @PamBondi pic.twitter.com/X7rztcHAry
— David Brody (@DBrodyReports) January 15, 2025
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