Attorney General Pam Bondi faced criticism online after sharing a chart meant to highlight a drop in fentanyl deaths that ended before the current administration took office.
The Post and the Chart
The controversy began Tuesday afternoon when Bondi posted a chart titled “Annual Drug Overdose Deaths (DOD) Rates by US Census Region From October 2015 to October 2024.” The chart showed a sharp decline in fentanyl-related deaths toward the end of the timeline.
Alongside the chart, Bondi credited the Trump administration for the results.
“Since day one, the Trump Administration and this Department of Justice have been fighting to end the drug epidemic in our country,” Bondi wrote. “President Trump closed the border. DOJ agents have seized hundreds of millions of potentially lethal fentanyl doses. We are aggressively prosecuting drug traffickers and cartel leaders. These are the results.”
Timeline Raises Questions
The problem, critics quickly pointed out, was the timing. Donald Trump did not take office until January 2025. Bondi herself was not sworn in as attorney general until February 5, 2025.
The chart Bondi shared ended in October 2024, months before either took office.
Backlash on Social Media
Bondi later deleted the post, but screenshots had already spread widely. Several left-leaning commentators mocked the claim.
“HOLY CRAP!” liberal commentator Brian Krassenstein wrote. “Is Pam Bondi really this stupid or does she think MAGA is and won’t realize?”
Representative Ted Lieu also weighed in.
“Dear @AGPamBondi: The chart you provided ends in October 2024,” Lieu wrote. “Thank you for unintentionally giving massive credit to Joe Biden. Also, when are you going to stop violating federal law and provide the unredacted Epstein Files? Happy New Year.”
A Post That Backfired
What was meant to highlight progress on drug enforcement instead sparked ridicule, with critics arguing the data undermined Bondi’s own claims. Even after the post was deleted, the screenshots ensured the controversy continued to circulate online.
Others followed their lead:
