'Is she on our side?': Jan. 6 Defendants and Allies Question Bondi Nomination
Trump's newly announced nominee for attorney general has mostly refrained from commenting on the events surrounding the January 6 riot.
TroibNews 
Everyone was aware of Matt Gaetz's stance regarding the January 6 attack on the Capitol. He actively promoted conspiracy theories, advocated for broad pardons, and referred to the 22-year sentence given to Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio for seditious conspiracy as “Orwellian.”
In contrast, Pam Bondi presents a different case. The silence from the former Florida attorney general, whom Trump appointed to lead the Justice Department after Gaetz’s nomination fell through, raises questions about her reliability as an ally for Trump supporters who are passionate about overturning the extensive prosecutions of those who breached the Capitol on January 6.
Bondi has not publicly spoken about the attack. Her X account previously included two reposted denunciations of the violence — one from Idaho’s attorney general at the time and another from Donald Trump Jr. — but these posts have since been deleted.
Over the past four years, there is no record of Bondi commenting on the significant FBI effort to apprehend nearly 1,600 individuals involved in storming the Capitol, including many who assaulted law enforcement.
Trump has made the situation of those defendants central to his political resurgence, downplaying the violence and promising broad pardons for those ensnared in the federal crackdown. Gaetz's nomination was seen as a strong indication that Trump intended to fulfill these promises.
Bondi's lack of commentary on a key issue for Trump’s MAGA base sets her apart from many others Trump considered for the attorney general position in his second term, and his allies have taken note.
“I have never seen Pam Bondi speak out on January 6. Hopefully, she isn't too distant from the issue to clean house and investigate DOJ wrongdoing,” remarked William Pope, a prominent January 6 defendant facing trial early next year. “This is a top priority for our next Attorney General!”
Julie Kelly, another notable advocate for January 6 defendants, echoed concerns about Bondi's stance regarding the riot.
“I don't know much about Pam Bondi aside from her representation of the president during impeachment,” Kelly shared on X. “Accounts here that I respect are expressing disappointment and criticism of her nomination, which I will consider.”
Some January 6 defendants and supporters, who were enthusiastic about Gaetz's selection, are now more reserved regarding Bondi, mindful that she has not publicly championed their cause. They also expressed wariness about other Republican figures they distrust, such as Jeb Bush and Lindsey Graham, who have praised Bondi’s nomination.
“Donald Trump has nominated Pam Bondi to be Attorney General. She will be confirmed,” stated Phillip Anderson, another January 6 defendant with pending charges. “But is she on our side? Will she end the J6 prosecutions and start prosecuting democrats? If not, then she’s the wrong choice.”
Inquiries about Bondi’s position on the prosecutions related to the January 6 riot went unanswered by a spokesperson for Trump’s transition.
Bondi's limited engagement with January 6 issues arises partly from her association with Cassidy Hutchinson, a witness before the House January 6 select committee. Hutchinson described attempts by figures close to Trump, including Bondi, to secure jobs and legal representation for her, interpreting these overtures as efforts to keep her aligned amid concerns that other allies might disclose damaging details to investigators.
Hutchinson recounted that Bondi contacted her in early February 2022, saying she was coordinating “logistics” with Susie Wiles — now Trump’s incoming chief of staff — regarding potential legal assistance.
“Pam and I also had a working relationship at the White House, so it wasn't out of the ordinary,” Hutchinson remembered. “And we loosely kept in touch for the past, at this point, a year. … I wouldn't see her as like a friend figure necessarily, but she was frequently at the White House. She would meet with Mark [Meadows] a lot.”
Hutchinson added that the next month, Bondi reached out to her via Signal, mentioning that she had just had “dinner with POTUS at Mar-a-Lago” and suggested contacting Trump ally Matt Schlapp for updates on a potential job.
“You are the best. Keep up the good work. Love and miss you,” Hutchinson recalled Bondi signing off with.
Bondi also contributed to launching Trump’s challenge to the 2020 election results. According to testimony from Rudy Giuliani during his disbarment proceedings, she and Giuliani drove from Washington, D.C., to Pennsylvania the day after Election Day, where they led challenges to the election officials’ procedures for monitoring vote counts and spread some of the earliest claims of electoral fraud.
Bondi had shared numerous fraud allegations promoted by Trump and his associates in the days following the election, but many of these posts have since been deleted from her X account.
When it comes to election fraud, Bondi played a comparatively minor role relative to other allies who stoked the fervor. While Giuliani led efforts to overturn the election through state legislatures and Congress, Bondi's involvement in those increasingly fringe efforts was not particularly prominent.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
In contrast, Pam Bondi presents a different case. The silence from the former Florida attorney general, whom Trump appointed to lead the Justice Department after Gaetz’s nomination fell through, raises questions about her reliability as an ally for Trump supporters who are passionate about overturning the extensive prosecutions of those who breached the Capitol on January 6.
Bondi has not publicly spoken about the attack. Her X account previously included two reposted denunciations of the violence — one from Idaho’s attorney general at the time and another from Donald Trump Jr. — but these posts have since been deleted.
Over the past four years, there is no record of Bondi commenting on the significant FBI effort to apprehend nearly 1,600 individuals involved in storming the Capitol, including many who assaulted law enforcement.
Trump has made the situation of those defendants central to his political resurgence, downplaying the violence and promising broad pardons for those ensnared in the federal crackdown. Gaetz's nomination was seen as a strong indication that Trump intended to fulfill these promises.
Bondi's lack of commentary on a key issue for Trump’s MAGA base sets her apart from many others Trump considered for the attorney general position in his second term, and his allies have taken note.
“I have never seen Pam Bondi speak out on January 6. Hopefully, she isn't too distant from the issue to clean house and investigate DOJ wrongdoing,” remarked William Pope, a prominent January 6 defendant facing trial early next year. “This is a top priority for our next Attorney General!”
Julie Kelly, another notable advocate for January 6 defendants, echoed concerns about Bondi's stance regarding the riot.
“I don't know much about Pam Bondi aside from her representation of the president during impeachment,” Kelly shared on X. “Accounts here that I respect are expressing disappointment and criticism of her nomination, which I will consider.”
Some January 6 defendants and supporters, who were enthusiastic about Gaetz's selection, are now more reserved regarding Bondi, mindful that she has not publicly championed their cause. They also expressed wariness about other Republican figures they distrust, such as Jeb Bush and Lindsey Graham, who have praised Bondi’s nomination.
“Donald Trump has nominated Pam Bondi to be Attorney General. She will be confirmed,” stated Phillip Anderson, another January 6 defendant with pending charges. “But is she on our side? Will she end the J6 prosecutions and start prosecuting democrats? If not, then she’s the wrong choice.”
Inquiries about Bondi’s position on the prosecutions related to the January 6 riot went unanswered by a spokesperson for Trump’s transition.
Bondi's limited engagement with January 6 issues arises partly from her association with Cassidy Hutchinson, a witness before the House January 6 select committee. Hutchinson described attempts by figures close to Trump, including Bondi, to secure jobs and legal representation for her, interpreting these overtures as efforts to keep her aligned amid concerns that other allies might disclose damaging details to investigators.
Hutchinson recounted that Bondi contacted her in early February 2022, saying she was coordinating “logistics” with Susie Wiles — now Trump’s incoming chief of staff — regarding potential legal assistance.
“Pam and I also had a working relationship at the White House, so it wasn't out of the ordinary,” Hutchinson remembered. “And we loosely kept in touch for the past, at this point, a year. … I wouldn't see her as like a friend figure necessarily, but she was frequently at the White House. She would meet with Mark [Meadows] a lot.”
Hutchinson added that the next month, Bondi reached out to her via Signal, mentioning that she had just had “dinner with POTUS at Mar-a-Lago” and suggested contacting Trump ally Matt Schlapp for updates on a potential job.
“You are the best. Keep up the good work. Love and miss you,” Hutchinson recalled Bondi signing off with.
Bondi also contributed to launching Trump’s challenge to the 2020 election results. According to testimony from Rudy Giuliani during his disbarment proceedings, she and Giuliani drove from Washington, D.C., to Pennsylvania the day after Election Day, where they led challenges to the election officials’ procedures for monitoring vote counts and spread some of the earliest claims of electoral fraud.
Bondi had shared numerous fraud allegations promoted by Trump and his associates in the days following the election, but many of these posts have since been deleted from her X account.
When it comes to election fraud, Bondi played a comparatively minor role relative to other allies who stoked the fervor. While Giuliani led efforts to overturn the election through state legislatures and Congress, Bondi's involvement in those increasingly fringe efforts was not particularly prominent.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
