WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Attorney General Pam Bondi is departing her position, following reports of his dissatisfaction with her performance on key priorities.
Trump stated in a Truth Social post, “We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much-needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future.” He added that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche would assume the role of acting attorney general.
However, a senior administration official and another source familiar with the matter confirmed to journalists that Bondi was fired. A person familiar with White House deliberations noted that Trump had become “more and more frustrated” with Bondi recently. While he personally likes her, he felt she had not “executed on his vision” as desired. An administration official confirmed that Trump and Bondi spoke on Wednesday, and he informed her that her time as attorney general was ending.
Sources indicate President Trump’s increasing frustration with Bondi led to her ousting from the Justice Department.
Despite the change in leadership, courts have largely blocked the administration’s attempts to target his political adversaries, and Congress successfully obtained the release of the DOJ’s files related to Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting a leadership change may not guarantee the president the outcomes he seeks.
Bondi and Blanche Respond
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Bondi took to X, saying she was “moving to an important private sector role I am thrilled about, and where I will continue fighting for President Trump and this Administration.” She added, “I remain eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again.”
Blanche, who previously served as one of Trump’s personal lawyers, also thanked the president on X. He praised Bondi, stating, “Pam Bondi led this Department with strength and conviction and I’m grateful for her leadership and friendship.” He concluded, “Thank you to President Trump for the trust and the opportunity to serve as Acting Attorney General. We will continue backing the blue, enforcing the law, and doing everything in our power to keep America safe.”
A Pattern of Firings and Close Ties
Bondi’s departure makes her the second Cabinet member dismissed by the president, following Kristi Noem, who was fired last month as homeland security secretary in a similar fashion. NBC News reported that Trump’s increasing frustration with Noem, compounded by her performance at two congressional hearings, ultimately led to her firing.
Trump had selected Bondi, a staunch loyalist, to head the Justice Department after embattled former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination. Bondi has a long history with Trump, having participated in “lock her up” chants targeting Hillary Clinton during the 2016 Republican National Convention and serving on his defense team during his first impeachment trial. After the 2020 election, she was involved in efforts to overturn the results, including falsely claiming he had “won Pennsylvania.”
Blanche, a former federal prosecutor, also has strong ties to Trump. He was the lead defense attorney in Trump’s 2024 trial for falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. The trial concluded with Trump convicted on all 34 counts, though he avoided a penalty. Blanche also represented Trump in two federal cases.
Meanwhile, a Republican source close to Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin stated that Zeldin and Trump have discussed the attorney general position, and Zeldin is “definitely” interested.
Bondi’s Tenure and DOJ Controversies
Two people familiar with the president’s dissatisfaction told NBC News that Trump and Bondi had a heated confrontation at the White House last week, though the specifics were not disclosed.
Despite the friction, Bondi traveled with the president on Wednesday to the Supreme Court for oral arguments on the birthright citizenship case and attended his prime-time address on the Iran war.
During her time as attorney general, Bondi oversaw the firing of numerous attorneys and FBI agents linked to Trump’s prosecutions. Her tenure also saw a significant voluntary exodus of lawyers, reducing the department’s core of career employees who prioritize law over politics.
She also implemented key Trump administration priorities, such as halting investigations into police departments and refocusing the department on perceived “weaponization” of the Justice Department and on voter fraud, despite its rarity.
However, the Justice Department under her leadership struggled to secure successful cases against Trump’s political opponents, often complicated by the president’s public statements. In February, for instance, the DOJ failed to indict six members of Congress over a social media video urging military and intelligence personnel not to obey unlawful orders. Furthermore, a judge blocked the department’s investigation into the Federal Reserve and Chairman Jerome Powell, and cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James were dismissed due to an improperly appointed U.S. attorney.
Frustration Over Epstein Files
Some of Trump’s allies also expressed frustration over Bondi’s management of the DOJ’s Jeffrey Epstein records. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair in December that Bondi had “completely whiffed” on the handling of the files, citing the distribution of binders labeled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” to conservative social media influencers.
Subsequently, the Justice Department and FBI issued an unsigned memo in July claiming an “exhaustive” review of the case and stating that no further charges or public information would be released. This prompted the House Oversight Committee to issue a subpoena for the files. After the department failed to fully comply, the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act was passed, which led to embarrassing revelations concerning the president and his administration members.
Bondi defended the department’s compliance efforts when appearing before the House Oversight Committee in February. However, Epstein survivors and members of Congress criticized the handling of the files, noting excessive redactions in some areas while information about victims, which should have been protected, was left visible.
A subpoena for testimony was voted on by the House Oversight Committee last month, targeting Bondi as part of its investigation into Epstein. Now that Bondi is no longer the Attorney General, a committee spokeswoman informed says that “Chairman Comer will speak with Republican members and the Department of Justice about the status of the deposition subpoena and confer on next steps.” The Republican majority holds the authority to issue subpoenas.
