Jim Gilmore Is the Steady Hand America Needs at the Justice Department Right Now

So the Pam Bondi experiment crashed and burned. Anyone surprised? The whole thing was shaky from the start, though I’ll grant you it wasn’t quite the catastrophe the Matt Gaetz nomination would’ve been. That particular idea was so spectacularly misguided I can’t even describe it properly in a family publication. But here we are, needing an attorney general who actually knows what they’re doing.

What America needs right now is someone with backbone, experience, and unwavering loyalty to the Constitution and the president’s agenda. Someone who’s been through the fire and came out stronger. I’m talking about James S. Gilmore III.

Let me paint you a picture of what steady leadership looks like. Army veteran. Former attorney general of Virginia. Former governor of Virginia. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe under Trump’s first term. This isn’t some fresh-faced political operative looking for a career boost. This is a man who’s been tested at every level. Roger Stone gets it. He’s publicly backed this idea, and he’s not alone.

Here’s where my personal story intersects with Gilmore’s rise, and it matters because character reveals itself early. Back in my twenties, I was working in New York City politics. You’ve probably heard of the Club For Growth, but most people don’t know it started as something called the Political Club for Growth. Think of it as a semi-secret gathering of serious money and serious people who’d hear candidates pitch their vision, then decide on the spot whether to write massive checks. Even Bill Clinton showed up when he was launching his presidential run.

I’d somehow gotten connected with these folks, which is how I ended up getting a call from a Virginia political consultant. “Hey, I’ve got this attorney named Jim Gilmore running for Attorney General down here. Can you staff him in New York and get him before The Club?” I’d never even been to Virginia, but sure, why not?

So Gilmore flies up, I meet him at the airport, and we head to The Club. What happened next was something special. The man delivered a speech that had everyone leaning forward in their chairs. My friend John Fund, who was writing for the Wall Street Journal at the time and has heard more political speeches than most people have had hot meals, told me it was the most Reaganesque performance he’d witnessed since Reagan himself. That’s not hyperbole. That’s John Fund saying something meaningful.

Gilmore got his checks, headed back to Virginia, and won that attorney general race. We stayed in touch. Eventually I moved to Virginia myself, watched him become governor, and saw him excel in both roles. The friendship stuck. Then came his appointment as ambassador under Trump, where he represented American interests with the kind of clarity and strength we’ve been missing lately.

You know what strikes me about Gilmore? He’s never been the flashiest guy in the room, but he’s always been the most competent. In an era where we’ve elevated personality over performance, where social media presence somehow counts more than actual governing experience, that matters enormously. The Justice Department doesn’t need a showboat. It needs someone who understands the law, respects institutions while not being captured by them, and can navigate the political warfare that defines Washington right now.

The attorney general position isn’t some ceremonial role you hand to a loyalist as a reward. It’s the chief law enforcement officer of the United States. It requires someone who can walk into a room full of career bureaucrats and command respect immediately, not because of bluster but because of demonstrated competence. Gilmore has that in spades.

Think about what the next attorney general faces. A Justice Department that’s been weaponized against political opponents. A federal law enforcement apparatus that’s lost public trust. Immigration enforcement that needs teeth. Election integrity questions that demand serious attention. This isn’t a job for someone learning on the fly. This is a job for someone who’s already proven they can handle pressure, make tough calls, and sleep soundly knowing they did the right thing.

Gilmore represents something we’ve lost in modern politics but desperately need back. Steadiness. Experience that actually means something. Conservative principles applied with intelligence rather than just shouted from a microphone. He’s not going to generate headlines for saying outrageous things, but he’ll get the work done. And honestly, after the chaos of recent nominations, isn’t that exactly what we need?

The president needs to make this call soon. The country needs a functioning Justice Department led by someone serious. Jim Gilmore is that person. Battle-tested, proven, solid. Everything the moment demands.

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