Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Pam Bondi

Public opinion and media debates around Pam Bondi—discover key moments of controversy.

Pam Bondi is an American attorney, lobbyist, and politician currently serving as the 87th United States attorney general since 2025. As a Republican, she previously served as the 37th Florida attorney general from 2011 to 2019. Her career involves legal and political roles at both the state and federal levels.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2008: Defended Amendment 2

In 2008, Pam Bondi defended Amendment 2, a Florida constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, against legal challenges, stating that her actions were to respect the constitution.

2011: Pressured Attorneys to Resign

In 2011, Pam Bondi pressured two attorneys investigating Lender Processing Services (now Black Knight) to resign from Florida's Economic Crime Division, following the robosigning scandal.

2013: Campaign Donation from Donald Trump

In 2013, Pam Bondi faced scrutiny after receiving a campaign donation from Donald Trump amid consideration of joining a lawsuit against Trump University.

2013: Postponed Execution for Fundraising Event

In 2013, Pam Bondi persuaded Governor Rick Scott to postpone a scheduled execution to avoid conflict with a fundraising event; she later apologized after media scrutiny.

2013: Expressed Opposition to Medical Marijuana

In 2013, Pam Bondi publicly expressed her opposition to medical marijuana.

June 2016: Renewed Criticism over Trump Foundation Donation

In June 2016, Pam Bondi faced renewed criticism regarding the donation from the Trump Foundation, and it was revealed that she had solicited the donation before her office considered joining the lawsuit against Trump University.

June 2016: Criticized by Anderson Cooper after Orlando Nightclub Shooting

In June 2016, following the Orlando nightclub shooting, Pam Bondi was interviewed by CNN's Anderson Cooper, who challenged her expression of support for the LGBT community, given her previous legal stance against same-sex marriage.

September 2016: IRS Determined Donation Violated Laws

In September 2016, the IRS determined that the donation from the Trump Foundation to Bondi's PAC violated laws, leading to fines and reimbursement requirements for Trump.

August 2018: Co-hosted "The Five" on Fox News

In August 2018, while serving as Florida attorney general, Pam Bondi co-hosted "The Five" on Fox News for three consecutive days and appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News show, raising ethics concerns.

2018: Joined Lawsuit to Overturn ACA Bans

In 2018, Pam Bondi joined 19 other Republican-led states in a lawsuit aimed at overturning the Affordable Care Act's bans on health insurance companies charging higher premiums or denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

2018: Meetings with Lev Parnas

In 2018, while Pam Bondi was the Florida attorney general, she had several meetings with Lev Parnas, a businessman with ties to Rudy Giuliani and Ukraine.

November 2019: Trump Ordered to Close Foundation

In November 2019, a New York court ordered Donald Trump to close down his foundation and pay $2 million in damages for misusing it, including the illegal donation to Pam Bondi.

2019: Meetings with Lev Parnas

In 2019, after Pam Bondi left office, she had meetings with Lev Parnas, a businessman with ties to Rudy Giuliani and Ukraine.

2019: Hired by Ballard Partners and Became Foreign Agent

In 2019, after her tenure as Florida Attorney General, Pam Bondi was hired by Ballard Partners as a registered foreign agent and lobbyist for Qatar, focusing on anti-human-trafficking efforts before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

November 5, 2020: Challenged to Provide Evidence of Voter Fraud

On November 5, 2020, Pam Bondi was challenged on Fox News to provide evidence for her claims of voter fraud, and she falsely claimed that Trump had won Pennsylvania.

2020: Supported Trump's Efforts to Overturn Election

In 2020, Pam Bondi spoke in support of Trump at the Republican National Convention and became a vocal supporter of his efforts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 United States presidential election, supporting false claims of voter fraud.

February 5, 2025: Sworn in as Attorney General and Took Immediate Actions

On February 5, 2025, Pam Bondi was sworn into office as the 87th attorney general by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and she shut down the FBI's Foreign Influence Task Force, the DOJ's Task Force KleptoCapture, and cut back enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act on her first day in office.

February 2025: Fox News Interview on Epstein's Client List

In February 2025, Fox News journalist John Roberts asked Pam Bondi about the release of Jeffrey Epstein's client list, to which she responded that she was reviewing it under a directive by President Trump. This statement later contrasted with a DOJ memo in July 2025 stating that there was no evidence of the list existing.

February 2025: Criticized for Handling of Epstein Files Release

In February 2025, Pam Bondi faced criticism for her handling of the release of heavily redacted files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which was described as a political stunt rather than genuine transparency.

March 2025: Order to Block Deportations Ignored

In March 2025, despite a federal court order to temporarily block deportations of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and verbally order the deportation flights be returned to the United States , the Trump administration completed the deportations, with Bondi and other Justice Department officials arguing that an oral directive is not enforceable as an injunction.

March 2025: Government Chat Leak Response

In March 2025, following a leak of a United States government group chat, Pam Bondi stated that the leak would not be investigated as the information shared was not classified.

April 2025: Fentanyl Seizure Statistics

In April 2025, Pam Bondi made statements regarding fentanyl seizures during Trump's second term, initially claiming 21 million lives were saved, then increasing the estimate to 119 million, and later stating 258 million lives were saved based on 3,400 kilos of fentanyl seized. These statistics were met with skepticism.

July 2025: Department of Justice Memo on Epstein's Clients

In July 2025, the Department of Justice and the FBI issued a memo stating there was no evidence of a list of Jeffrey Epstein's clients, contradicting Bondi's previous statements and leading to controversy and criticism.

September 2025: Reaction to Charlie Kirk Assassination

In September 2025, in the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Pam Bondi stated that the authorities would target individuals using hate speech, which led to criticism. The next day, she clarified her statement to refer specifically to hate speech involving threats of violence.