Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, earned nearly $3 million from a merger that formed the Trump-owned Trump Media & Technology Group, according to financial disclosures, though Bondi has pledged to divest her assets in Truth Social’s parent company.
The former Florida attorney general said she received shares after the company’s merger, though she ... [+]
Bondi, in a letter to the Office of Government Ethics outlining possible conflicts of interest, disclosed she received shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp. while working for the consulting firm Renatus, which were then converted to Trump Media shares after the two companies merged in March 2024.
Bondi—who listed herself as a “consultant” for the merger—received shares worth just under $3 million from Digital World’s merger with Trump Media, according to a separate filing.
In her letter, Bondi pledged to divest her Trump Media shares “as soon as practicable” but no later than 90 days after she is confirmed as attorney general,” adding she would not “participate personally and substantially” with the company.
Bondi disclosed earning more than $1 million while working for Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm owned by Brian Ballard, an associate of Trump’s during his presidential campaign in 2016.
She also received more than $520,000 while consulting for the America First Policy Institute in 2021, a right-wing think tank that reportedly influenced Trump’s policy agenda, nearly $204,000 while providing legal services to Pfizer and $27,600 in contributor fees from Newsmax.
Bondi did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.
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Other members of Trump’s prospective cabinet are linked to Trump Media. Kash Patel, tapped by Trump for FBI director, serves as one of three directors for Trump Media, though he has not disclosed holding shares in the company. Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes was selected as chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, and Trump said Nunes would remain in his position at Trump Media while serving on the panel. Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, who is listed as an independent director for Trump Media, has been nominated as secretary of the Department of Education.
Bondi, 59, served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, when she defended Trump during his impeachment trial. Following the 2020 election, Bondi insisted Trump won Pennsylvania—a state President Joe Biden won by roughly 81,000 votes—and reportedly carried out voting-related lawsuits. She was nominated by Trump for attorney general after his previous pick, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., withdrew his name following increased scrutiny of sexual misconduct allegations that followed him for years. During her confirmation hearing, Bondi told the Senate Judiciary Committee she would not use the office to target political opponents, though she declined to rule out possible investigations into Trump’s adversaries, including former Special Counsel Jack Smith.
A vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee on whether to confirm Bondi as attorney general will be held sometime next week.