President Donald Trump has fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, marking the second Cabinet ouster in recent weeks following the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last month. The decision, confirmed by multiple sources, came after a tense meeting in the Oval Office on Wednesday night, just before Trump’s national address on the war in Iran.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will step in as acting attorney general, taking over leadership of the Justice Department during this transition. Trump announced Bondi’s departure on Truth Social, stating she would move to a role in the private sector while praising her tenure, claiming murders dropped to their lowest level since 1900 under her oversight. No specific reason for her dismissal was provided in the statement.
Sources reveal Trump’s frustration with Bondi had been mounting on several fronts, notably her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and her perceived failure to aggressively pursue investigations and prosecutions against his political opponents. Her February 2025 Fox News comment that an Epstein client list was “sitting on my desk right now to review” drew sharp criticism after the department later clarified no such list existed, fueling public and internal discontent over transparency.
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Bondi’s efforts to push forward on Trump’s priorities faced hurdles. Indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James were dismissed after a judge ruled the prosecutor was illegally serving. Additionally, an ongoing investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan for alleged false statements to Congress about Russian meddling in the 2016 election has stalled, with Miami prosecutors expressing doubts about the case’s strength despite pressure from Bondi to expedite progress.
On Wednesday, Bondi summoned the lead Miami prosecutor to Washington to discuss the Brennan probe, a move some inside the Justice Department saw as an attempt to demonstrate her commitment to Trump’s agenda amid rumors of her impending exit. She had also privately sought reassurance from associates about her standing with the president in recent days.
Speculation around her replacement centers on Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, who met with Trump on Tuesday to discuss wildfire prevention and potential transition plans. While Zeldin is considered a strong candidate, sources caution that Trump could shift direction at any moment. Zeldin is set to appear alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday to address rising microplastics in drinking water, signaling his active role in the administration.
Bondi’s departure coincides with a House Oversight Committee subpoena compelling her to testify later this month on the Epstein files. Her voluntary appearance before the panel in mid-March saw Democratic lawmakers walk out within 30 minutes, though GOP Chairman James Comer later stated he saw no need for a formal deposition. Her exit from the Justice Department, however, leaves unresolved questions about the release of remaining Epstein materials.
The shakeup follows a pattern of rapid Cabinet changes, with Bondi’s ouster coming on the same day she accompanied Trump to the U.S. Supreme Court for oral arguments on a high-stakes birthright citizenship case. As Blanche assumes interim control, the Justice Department faces a critical juncture with ongoing investigations and public scrutiny over its handling of politically charged cases.
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