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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's approval rating has declined by 47 points in 10 months, recent polls show.
According to polling by AtlasIntel, the proportion of people who approve of Bondi has dropped from net +6 percentage points in February to net -41 in December.
The latest survey was conducted in the week before Bondi's Department of Justice (DOJ) released redacted files associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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Newsweek reached out to the DOJ by email outside of normal business hours for comment.
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Why It Matters
In November, President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act to publicly release the files associated with the late financier. The convicted sex offender died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
But they were heavily redacted, with the DOJ saying they needed to protect the identity of victims. Some were not satisfied with the partial release, with Democrats calling for the impeachment of DOJ officials, including Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, because of the redactions.
If Bondi's approval rating declines, it might affect the American public's confidence in her and the Trump administration more broadly, as well as her standing with the president.
What To Know
The AtlasIntel polling of 2,315 respondents was conducted between December 15 and 19. It had a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points.
It found that her popularity peaked in February when 49 percent of people approved of her and 43 percent disapproved. In the months to follow it steadily declined and by August she had a net approval rating of -27 points, with 63 percent disapproving of her and 26 percent approving.
Bondi's support improved slightly in September to -17 points, before falling again. December's polling represents a record low during her term in office; 67 percent disapprove of her while 26 approve. The pollster also found that Trump's approval rating is in decline. In December, 59.6 percent disapproved of the president while 39.3 percent approved of him. This gives him a net rating of -20 percentage points. In November, the number was -15 points, per the pollster.
Speaking to Newsweek, Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of the Surrey in the U.K., said: "The attorney general's role has never seemed more politicized. This was conformed at the weekend with a partial, heavily redacted and seemingly politically-curated release of the Epstein files, with opponents such as [former Democratic President Bill] Clinton front-leaded in the available files, and Trump himself playing a disappearing act; hardly the transparency the law demanded.
"Bondi is seen as a tool of Donald Trump, not an upholder of the law or, indeed, American values. It is hard to see how she comes back from this in the eyes of the public," Shanahan added.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X Sunday: "The Department of Justice previously stated we will bring charges against anyone involved in the trafficking and exploitation of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. We reaffirm this commitment, and ask any victim to please come forward with any information pertaining to any individuals who engaged in illicit activity at their expense.
"We have met with many victims and victims groups, and will continue to do so if more reach out. Please contact myself, DAG Blanche, or the FBI and we will investigate immediately. We believe in the equal standard of justice in this country and will ensure that justice is served."
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson previously told Newsweek in response to a request for comment: "The Trump administration is the most transparent in history. Attorney General Bondi is doing an excellent job delivering on the president’s promises. If these Democrats cared about truth and transparency they would be demanding answers from Bill Clinton, [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries, and [House delegate] Stacey Plaskett."
What Happens Next
Bondi's approval rating will likely fluctuate as Trump's term in office continues.
The DOJ has said more files will be released in the coming weeks.
Update: 12/22/2025 05:26 a.m. E.T. This story was updated with comment from Mark Shanahan.
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