Pam Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, was chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as U.S. attorney general hours after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration after a federal sex trafficking investigation and ethics probe made his ability to be confirmed dubious.

President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday to head up the U.S. Department of Justice in his second term—a swift decision but one met with little surprise among many in Trump's orbit.

In Ms. Bondi, who served on his legal team during his first impeachment, the president-elect turned to a loyal ally to put his stamp on a Justice Department that he sees as hostile to him.