BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Attorney General Pam Bondi visited Brunswick on Monday to deliver the keynote address for a graduating class of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
Bondi, the former Florida attorney general who now works in Washington, D.C., spoke with News4JAX about federal law enforcement’s relationship with state and local agencies, especially amid disagreements over immigration policy.
“We’re working on it every day,” Bondi said when asked about tensions between federal immigration authorities and local police. “We did it in D.C. — D.C.’s safe again. We did it in Memphis. When I went out the first week in D.C., by my second or third week everyone was working together. That’s what we want to do.”
Bondi also addressed an attempted terror attack in New York City over the weekend. Federal authorities say two people are accused of plotting an attack during a protest and counterprotest near the New York City mayor’s mansion on Saturday.
“That was ISIS-inspired, as you know, and we just unsealed that indictment today — an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old,” Bondi said. “We’re really blessed that nothing worse happened, but our great men and women in law enforcement are making sure people are safe.”
Since leaving Tallahassee, Bondi has faced scrutiny in Washington over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and other high-profile matters. She has also been the subject of speculation about whether President Donald Trump would replace her, as he did with then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was reassigned.
When asked how she is handling the pressure, Bondi said, “I’m doing great, thank you. Right now we’re focused on a lot of international matters.”
Despite the politics surrounding her work in D.C., Bondi said the purpose of her Brunswick visit was to recognize the new ATF graduates, who will now be assigned across the country to investigate cases involving firearms and explosives.