History of Pam Bondi in Timeline

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

November 17, 1965: Pam Bondi Born

On November 17, 1965, Pamela Jo Bondi was born. She is an American attorney, lobbyist, and politician.

Others born on this day/year

1987: Received BA in criminal justice from the University of Florida

In 1987, Pam Bondi received a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from the University of Florida.

1990: Marriage to Garret Barnes

In 1990, Pam Bondi married Garret Barnes; the marriage ended in divorce after 22 months.

1990: Received JD from Stetson University College of Law

In 1990, Pam Bondi obtained a Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University College of Law, furthering her legal education.

June 24, 1991: Admitted to the Florida Bar

On June 24, 1991, Pam Bondi was officially admitted to the Florida Bar, marking the beginning of her legal career.

1994: Assistant State Attorney in Hillsborough County

In 1994, Pam Bondi began her service as an assistant state attorney in Hillsborough County, Florida.

1996: Marriage to Scott Fitzgerald

In 1996, Pam Bondi married Scott Fitzgerald; they later divorced in 2002.

2002: Divorce from Scott Fitzgerald

In 2002, Pam Bondi divorced Scott Fitzgerald, whom she had married in 1996.

2006: Prosecuted Dwight Gooden

In 2006, Pam Bondi, as a prosecutor, prosecuted former Major League Baseball player Dwight Gooden for violating probation terms and substance abuse.

2007: Prosecuted defendants in Martin Anderson's death

In 2007, Pam Bondi prosecuted the defendants involved in the death of Martin Anderson, showcasing her role in significant legal cases.

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.

2009: End of service as Assistant State Attorney

In 2009, Pam Bondi concluded her service as an assistant state attorney in Hillsborough County, Florida.

August 2010: Leading in Republican Primary Polls

In August 2010, polling indicated that Pam Bondi was leading Holly Benson and Jeff Kottkamp in the Republican primary for Florida Attorney General.

2010: Ran for Florida Attorney General

In 2010, Pam Bondi ran for Florida Attorney General, competing against Holly Benson and Jeff Kottkamp in the Republican primary and receiving support from Sarah Palin.

2010: Elected Attorney General of Florida

In 2010, Pam Bondi was elected Attorney General of Florida, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

2011: Became Florida Attorney General

In 2011, Pam Bondi became the 37th Florida Attorney General, marking a significant milestone in her career.

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.

2012: Engagement to Greg Henderson

In 2012, Pam Bondi was engaged to Greg Henderson.

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.

November 2014: Re-elected as Florida Attorney General

In November 2014, Pam Bondi was re-elected as Florida Attorney General, securing 55% of the vote against Democratic challenger George Sheldon.

2014: Re-elected as Attorney General of Florida

In 2014, Pam Bondi was re-elected as Attorney General of Florida, marking her as the first two-term Republican attorney general in the state's history.

March 14, 2016: Endorsed Donald Trump

On March 14, 2016, Pam Bondi endorsed Donald Trump in the 2016 Florida Republican presidential primary, citing a long-standing friendship.

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.

2017: Relationship with John Wakefield

Since 2017, Pam Bondi has been in a relationship with John Wakefield.

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: Term Limited

In 2018, Pam Bondi's term as Attorney General was limited, leading to Ashley Moody succeeding her in the role.

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: Hired to Help White House During Impeachment Proceedings

In November 2019, Pam Bondi was hired by the Trump administration to assist the White House during President Trump's first impeachment proceedings.

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: End of term as Florida Attorney General

In 2019, Pam Bondi's term as the 37th Florida Attorney General concluded.

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.

January 17, 2020: Named Part of Trump's Defense Team

On January 17, 2020, Pam Bondi was officially named as part of President Trump's defense team for the Senate impeachment trial.

March 2020: First Trump Administration Indicts Maduro

In March 2020, the first Trump administration indicted Nicolás Maduro and other Venezuelan officials for "narco-terrorism," setting the initial reward at $15 million, which was later raised in January 2025 and again in August 2025.

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: Senate Committee Hearing Questions

During the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary in January 2025, Pam Bondi was questioned about the 2020 presidential election results, among other things.

2020: Defense Lawyer during Trump's Impeachment Trial

In 2020, Pam Bondi served as one of President Donald Trump's defense lawyers during his first impeachment trial.

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.

2022: Anti-human-trafficking Efforts for FIFA World Cup

In 2022, Pam Bondi's work with Qatar involved anti-human-trafficking efforts in advance of the FIFA World Cup.

October 7, 2023: Attack on Israel by Hamas

On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths, including 47 U.S. citizens, and the abduction of around 250 people, including eight Americans. This event led to the establishment of the Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7) in March 2025.

November 21, 2024: Nominated for United States Attorney General

On November 21, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Pam Bondi for Attorney General.

November 21, 2024: Announced as Nominee for Attorney General

On November 21, 2024, President-elect Trump announced that Pam Bondi would be nominated for United States Attorney General.

2024: Led Legal Arm of America First Policy Institute

In 2024, Pam Bondi led the legal arm of the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute, filing voting lawsuits in battleground states related to the 2024 presidential election.

January 15, 2025: Senate Committee Hearing

On January 15, 2025, Pam Bondi attended the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, where she was questioned by Democratic Senators.

January 2025: Biden Administration Raises Reward for Maduro

In January 2025, prior to Pam Bondi's announcement in August 2025, the Biden administration raised the reward for Nicolás Maduro to $25 million, after the initial indictment in March 2020.

January 16, 2025: Second Senate Committee Hearing

On January 16, 2025, Pam Bondi attended a second hearing at the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

February 4, 2025: Confirmed as United States Attorney General

On February 4, 2025, Pam Bondi was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the United States Attorney General.

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: Establishment of Joint Task Force October 7

In March 2025, Pam Bondi announced the establishment of the Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7) to seek justice for victims of the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel by Hamas.

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: Task Force Meeting on Anti-Christian Bias

In April 2025, Pam Bondi held a task force meeting focused on addressing anti-Christian bias.

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.

August 2025: Increased Reward for Nicolás Maduro

In August 2025, Pam Bondi announced on Twitter that the Department of Justice and the State Department were increasing the reward to $50 million for Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of collaborating with terrorist organizations to bring violence to the United States.

September 2025: Response to Killing of Iryna Zarutska

In September 2025, following the killing of Iryna Zarutska, Pam Bondi stated that she would seek the death penalty for the perpetrator.

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.