US Attorney General Pam Bondi has been removed from her post as attorney general by President Donald Trump. Trump told Fox News that “Pam Bondy is out of the U.S. Attorney General position. The U.S. President confirmed the development on Truth Social. “Pam Bondy is a great American patriot and a loyal friend, who served faithfully as my Attorney General this past year. “Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown on crime across our country, bringing homicides down to their lowest level since 1900,” he said.While confirming Todd Blanche to serve as acting attorney general, Trump said Bondi would move to the private sector. “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, and our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected legal mind, Todd Blanch, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added in his statement.
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US: Pam Bondi fumes after Neguse exposes corruption during House hearing
The move comes after growing frustration over his performance, including his handling of investigative files related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a White House official quoted by Reuters.Trump also reportedly became frustrated that Bondi was not moving faster to prosecute critics and opponents whom he wanted to face criminal charges.Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, had been a staunch and combative supporter of Trump’s agenda during his tenure, pushing policies that critics said destroyed the Justice Department’s longstanding tradition of independence from the White House. He also oversaw the removal of dozens of career prosecutors linked to investigations that Trump disliked, accusing them of undermining the department’s commitment to impartial justice.However, it was the controversy surrounding her handling of files related to financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that overshadowed her time in office. Bondi faced continued criticism from both Trump allies and Republican lawmakers over allegations that records related to the DOJ’s sex trafficking investigation into Epstein were improperly released or insufficiently transparent. Epstein, who maintained ties to influential figures, remains a politically sensitive subject, with investigations also reviving into his past relationship with Trump, which the president has said ended decades ago.The matter escalated after Bondi initially suggested that a client list linked to Epstein be reviewed. When the initial disclosures largely included already public material, the Justice Department and the FBI later closed the case, saying no further releases were needed. The move triggered a bipartisan backlash, which ultimately resulted in the mandatory release of most of the remaining files.The controversy persisted despite the subsequent release of approximately 3 million pages of documents. MPs criticized the sweeping cuts and expressed concern over the identities of some victims being exposed. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Bondy for his testimony on April 14.Bondy argued in defense of his handling of the files, saying that the Trump administration was more transparent than its predecessors and that officials worked under tight deadlines to review comprehensive records. During a controversial House hearing in January, he deflected criticism with political attacks on lawmakers and refused to apologize to victims and their families who were present at the proceedings.In addition to the Epstein issue, Bondi also faced internal criticism over the pace of legal action against Trump’s critics, with the president reportedly frustrated that prosecutions were not moving fast enough.His removal could signal a change in Justice Department strategy, potentially including more aggressive use of the legal system against Trump’s political opponents.Bondi is the second senior official to be fired in recent weeks, following the ouster of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on March 5 amid criticism of her handling of the agency and immigration policy.