Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed James Uthmeier, his former chief of staff, as the new attorney general. Uthmeier, 37, was sworn in during a ceremony in Tallahassee.
Uthmeier replaces Ashley Moody, who was selected by DeSantis for a vacant U.S. Senate seat after Marco Rubio became US Secretary of State. Uthmeier will lead Florida’s legal challenges on conservative issues in line with Trump’s agenda.
During the ceremony, DeSantis praised Uthmeier as a “bulldog” for tackling tough issues. Uthmeier has been key in shaping legal strategies against federal mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic and dismantling diversity programs in higher education.
He committed to upholding conservative principles and aggressively pursuing justice, including fighting drug trafficking and human trafficking. Uthmeier also plans to challenge legal efforts aimed at weakening abortion restrictions and other conservative policies, asserting that leftist ideology will not influence Florida’s legal system.
Uthmeier has extensive experience in government, having earned degrees in business administration, political science, and international business from the University of Florida, and a law degree from Georgetown Law School. Before joining DeSantis, he served as a senior adviser to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in the Trump administration and worked at the law firm Jones Day.
