Veteran Democratic strategist David Axelrod has raised concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department, warning that her loyalty to Trump may override her constitutional duties as attorney general.
In a Thursday evening interview with CNN, Axelrod argued that Bondi’s primary allegiance would be to Trump rather than to the principles of the Constitution or the independence of the Justice Department. “So, he gets in her what he wants, which is someone who will be responsive to him first, not to the duties of the attorney general or the Constitution,” Axelrod said. “He wants political control over the Justice Department, and she is fully willing and capable of carrying that out as a political functionary whom he trusts.”
Axelrod’s comments came shortly after Trump formally announced Bondi’s nomination to head the Department of Justice, following the withdrawal of another controversial pick—former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). Gaetz, a staunch Trump ally, had faced significant resistance from Senate Republicans and was widely considered a poor fit for the role. Axelrod, who served as a senior advisor to former President Barack Obama, described Gaetz’s withdrawal as “a good move” and a “horrific choice” that was doomed from the start.
“Clearly, it was going to crash and burn,” Axelrod told CNN’s Erin Burnett. “He shouldn’t have been there in the first place.”
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Bondi, who served as Florida’s top prosecutor from 2011 to 2019, has long been a close ally of Trump. She was also part of his defense team during his first impeachment trial. In announcing her nomination, Trump praised Bondi as “smart and tough” and promised that she would refocus the DOJ on fighting crime and making America safer. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” Trump wrote in a statement. “She is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!”
However, Axelrod warns that Bondi’s loyalty to Trump would undermine the integrity of the Justice Department, which has long been expected to operate independently of political influence. “It’s a very daunting proposition for those who care about the integrity of the Justice Department,” Axelrod said, expressing skepticism about whether the American public, or Senate Republicans, would be comfortable with the nomination.
Bondi’s nomination follows a string of controversial appointments by Trump, including the selection of Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) for director of national intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. As these nominations unfold, all eyes will be on how the Senate responds and whether these picks will garner the necessary support to move forward.
Axelrod’s comments highlight growing concerns among political observers who view Trump’s cabinet picks as prioritizing loyalty and political control over the constitutional duties of the office.
