Donald Trump fires Attorney General Pam Bondi

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the departure of Attorney General Pam Bondi, a loyal ally of his, following a controversial handling of matters such as the files of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein  and political investigations.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer, will serve as acting attorney general, the president announced on his Truth Social platform.

"Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend," Trump assured.

"Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900. We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector," he added.

A pointed position

Trump had months earlier expressed frustration over what he considered an insufficient commitment by Bondi to bring to trial several political enemies from the time he nearly went to jail for several cases, following his first term as president.

The attorney general also received criticism from both Trump supporters and the Democratic opposition for the way she handled the Jeffrey Epstein sex criminal dossier.

Bondi’s message after her departure: “It has been the honor of my lifetime”

Just hours after Trump’s statement, Bondi took to X to share her own message. The attorney general thanked the president for his trust and highlighted the achievements of her tenure at the Department of Justice.

“Leading President Trump’s historic and highly successful efforts to make America safer and more secure has been the honor of a lifetime, and easily the most consequential first year of the Department of Justice in American history,” she wrote.

“Since February 2025, we have secured the lowest murder rate in 125 years, secured first-ever terrorism convictions against members of Antifa, shattered domestic and transnational gangs across the country, taken custody of more than 90 key cartel figures, and won 24 favorable rulings at the Supreme Court,” she added.

Bondi was Trump’s second choice for attorney general. He initially nominated former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz but withdrew the nomination after failing to secure sufficient support among Senate Republicans.

Before joining the Trump administration, Bondi served as Florida attorney general and as director of the legal division at the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank aligned with the MAGA agenda.

Bondi was the third woman in history to lead the Department of Justice, following Janet Reno (1993–2001) and Loretta Lynch (2015–2017), who served under Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, respectively.