Attorney General Pam Bondi gets the boot as Trump adds another name to his firing spree

Attorney General Pam Bondi is out of her position, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stepping in as the acting attorney general. This move comes amid reports that Trump was growing increasingly frustrated with Bondi’s performance and her handling of some of his key priorities.

Per NBC News, Trump shared the news on Truth Social, stating, “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.” However, a senior administration official and another source familiar with the matter confirmed that Bondi was, in fact, fired. 

A person familiar with White House deliberations noted that while Trump liked her as a person, he reportedly felt she hadn’t “executed on his vision” as he expected. Bondi took to X, stating she would be “moving to an important private sector role I am thrilled about, and where I will continue fighting for President Trump and this Administration.” She also said, “I remain eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again.” 

First Noem, now Bondi. Beware, Leavitt, every woman loyal to Trump is getting the boot

Todd Blanche, the new acting Attorney General, also posted on X, thanking the president for the opportunity. He praised Bondi, saying, “Pam Bondi led this Department with strength and conviction and I’m grateful for her leadership and friendship.” Blanche added that his team “will continue backing the blue, enforcing the law, and doing everything in our power to keep America safe.”

Bondi’s departure marks her as the second Cabinet member Trump has removed, following Kristi Noem’s firing last month as homeland security secretary. Noem’s situation mirrored Bondi’s, with Trump reportedly growing frustrated, and her performance at two congressional hearings ultimately costing her the job. Bondi, a long-time loyalist, was chosen to lead the Justice Department after former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination.

Bondi has a long relationship with Trump, having joined in “lock her up” chants aimed at former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the 2016 Republican National Convention. She later served on Trump’s defense team during his first impeachment trial and was involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, falsely claiming he had “won Pennsylvania.”

Trump’s frustration appears to stem from the Justice Department’s struggle to secure successful outcomes in cases targeting his political adversaries. While Bondi oversaw the firing of numerous attorneys and FBI agents linked to prosecutions of Trump and shifted the department’s focus to investigations into perceived “weaponization” and voter fraud, the department faced significant hurdles. 

A judge blocked an investigation into the Federal Reserve and Chairman Jerome Powell. Cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James were dismissed after a judge ruled the U.S. attorney had been improperly appointed. Trump’s public statements also frequently complicated ongoing cases. A particularly contentious issue was Bondi’s handling of the Justice Department’s files related to Jeffrey Epstein. 

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles reportedly said Bondi had “completely whiffed” on the files, especially after binders labeled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” were given to conservative social media influencers last year. The Justice Department and FBI later released a joint memo declaring an “exhaustive” review and that no additional people would be charged or information released. 

This led to a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee for the files, and eventually, the bipartisan passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which brought embarrassing allegations about Trump and members of his administration to light. Additionally, victims and lawmakers slammed the department’s subsequent handling for covering information about accomplices while releasing victim information as a result of redaction ‘errors.’

Bondi’s last public appearances with Trump included traveling with him, right before she was fired, to present oral arguments to the Supreme Court in the birthright citizenship case.