Trump fires Pam Bondi as US attorney general, elevates Todd Blanche
United States President Donald Trump has announced that Pam Bondi is out as US attorney general, in his second major cabinet-level shake-up in less than a month.
Trump confirmed the decision in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, after a slate of media reports suggested he was considering removing Bondi from the top law enforcement role. Several cited his discontent over Bondi’s handling of investigative files related to financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will temporarily replace Bondi in an interim capacity, he said.
“Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year,” Trump wrote.
The US president also praised Bondi for leading the Department of Justice during a period when violent crime decreased in the US, part of a wider downward trend in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump did not mention his reasoning for the decision, instead writing, “We love Pam.” He added that she would be “transitioning to a much-needed and important new job in the private sector”.
In a statement, Bondi said she would be transitioning the office to Blanche over the next month, adding she was moving to “an important private sector role I am thrilled about, and where I will continue fighting for President Trump and this Administration”.
“I remain eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again,” she said.
Bondi’s dismissal comes shortly after Trump abruptly fired Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversaw the agency amid a mass deportation campaign that led to the killing of two US citizens.
The US media has reported that Trump was considering nominating Lee Zeldin, the current administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency, to take over the Department of Justice.
Trump has not confirmed the plan. Any nomination would require Senate confirmation.
Questions over ‘politicalistation’
Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, had been a longtime supporter of Trump and closely aligned with the president’s agenda as the country’s top law enforcement official.
That led to concerns over the independence of the Department of Justice, particularly as top prosecutors under Bondi’s command announced investigations and criminal charges against Trump’s political opponents.
In one case, last September, Trump addressed a social media post directly to Bondi, appearing to call on her to take action against three critics: Senator Adam Schiff, New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI director James Comey.
“We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” Trump wrote in the post to Bondi. “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
Indictments against James and Comey were delivered in the subsequent weeks, although separate grand juries later moved not to indict the pair.
