Donald Trump has dismissed Pam Bondi as US attorney general, removing a loyalist who reshaped the justice department but failed to satisfy a president fixated on prosecuting political enemies and frustrated with the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Trump announced the decision on Truth Social, praising Bondi as a 'Great American Patriot' and claiming crime had plummeted under her watch. He said she would transition to a private sector role.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will serve as acting attorney general, while Lee Zeldin, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is considered a top contender for the permanent post. Bondi expressed enthusiasm for her new role, stating she would continue to support the president and his administration.
During her 14-month tenure, Bondi oversaw a purge of career justice department staff, shifted focus to immigration cases, and defended Trump's executive orders. She complied with Trump's demand to prosecute his personal enemies, leading to indictments of James Comey, Letitia James, and John Bolton. She also attempted to bring charges against six members of Congress.
Bondi's handling of the Epstein files, which she had previously advocated releasing, drew Trump's ire. Democrats insist she must still testify before Congress, with House oversight committee ranking member Robert Garcia stating her firing does not exempt her from a scheduled subpoena. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer welcomed her departure, saying 'the rot at the Department of Justice begins and ends with Donald Trump'.
Bondi is the second female cabinet secretary ousted in recent weeks, following the dismissal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March.
