Trump cabinet latest updates: Pam Bondi nominated as new AG pick after Matt Gaetz steps down – UK Times

More than two weeks after the 2024 election, the White House says President-elect Donald Trump and his team still haven’t executed the legal documents required to officially start the transition process that will end with him taking the presidential oath of office on the Capitol steps in just under 60 days.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that the Trump-Vance team “not yet entered into the agreements with the White House and the General Service Administration” despite ongoing efforts to negotiate involving White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and his incoming Trump administration counterpart, Susie Wiles.

Andrew Feinberg filed this report from Washington, D.C.

Donald Trump has unveiled his latest merchandising venture, a range of “limited edition” American Eagle-branded electric and acoustic guitars retailing from $1,500 to as much as $10,500 for a signed model.

“Coming Soon! The Limited Edition ’45’ Guitar. Only 1,300 of each Acoustic and Electric Guitars MADE – Some personally signed!” the president-elect announced on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday evening, accompanied by a photograph of himself brandishing one of the instruments, which he is not known to be able to play.

Joe Sommerlad has the story.

Background on Pam Bondi from 2019:

A White House adviser tasked with defending Donald Trump during the impeachment proceedings against him suggested the pressure of the looming charges was beginning to weigh down on the president just before an official vote.

Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general who the president hired last month to serve as a voice for the administration while it battles back against the public impeachment hearings, slammed the House-led inquiry in an interview with Fox News Sunday.

“Is this difficult? Of course it is”, Ms Bondi said. “And that’s why the lawyers, we are all handling this impeachment sham and charade with the weakest of weak evidence … now going to the US Senate.”

Chris Riotta reported at the time:

Some background on Pam Bondi from 2020:

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi lashed out at Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden in her Republican National Committee address, criticising them for nepotism moments before two of Donald Trump‘s children spoke at his re-election convention.

Ms Bondi was first linked to the president in 2016, when, as the Sunshine State’s top lawyer, she dropped Florida’s probe into Trump University. Weeks prior to ending that investigation, Mr Trump donated $25,000 to her re-election campaign. All sides denied a quid pro quo.

The attack on the Bidens was the first of the RNC, months after Mr Trump responded to House Democrats’ impeachment trial of his interactions with Ukraine’s president by attacking Hunter Biden. He and his surrogates and legal team argued the younger Biden profited from his father’s work against Ukraine corruption as vice president.

John T. Bennett reported at the time:

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence… 😒

Alex Woodward has the details.

“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” Trump wrote in a statement on Thursday evening.

“I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!”

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Thursday night that former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will be his next nominee to lead the Department of Justice following the departure of former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.

“I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States,” Trump wrote. “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families.”

“Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country,” he added. “She did such an incredible job, that I asked her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during my first Term — We saved many lives!”

“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” the president-elect claimed. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!”

Gustaf Kilander has the story.