Donald Trump has fired Pam Bondi from her role as attorney general following a tense late-night showdown at the White House, where she reportedly pleaded to keep her job.
Bondi has now become the second cabinet member to be pushed out in less than a month, following months of backlash from MAGA supporters over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files — a controversy that has followed Trump's Justice Department since the very beginning. "Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year," Trump wrote on Truth Social, before firing her from her position despite her desperate plea.
Unceremonious Exit
"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, to be announced at a date in the near future." Trump added.
Trump announced that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will step in as acting attorney general until a permanent replacement is chosen. Bondi will not remain in the administration and is expected to move into the private sector.
Trump told Bondi late Wednesday night—just before his Iran-related speech—that her time at the Justice Department was coming to an end, according to a senior administration source. She stayed at the White House through the remainder of his address but left Washington, D.C., the next morning, flying back to her home in Florida.
During their meeting, Bondi reportedly urged the president to give her more time in the role, but Trump stood firm in his decision. "She was unhappy and tried to change his mind," the source said.
Although the announcement had originally been planned for Friday, it was moved up to Thursday due to growing media attention surrounding the situation.
No Mercy from Trump
Trump is believed to have partly based his decision on concerns that Bondi may have tipped off Eric Swalwell about the FBI's efforts to release documents tied to his past association with Christine Fang. Investigators had reportedly been preparing a set of records related to that relationship.
A source claimed Bondi had stepped into the matter, which did not sit well with the White House, especially given her alleged personal rapport with Swalwell. The exact reason for her involvement remains unclear, though it's believed the two have maintained a friendly connection.
Swalwell, for his part, has publicly slammed Bondi during her time as attorney general, particularly over her failure to pursue multiple death threats made against him and his family. He is also considered a potential Democratic contender in California's upcoming gubernatorial race.
Earlier reports indicated Trump had already been considering replacing Bondi, having discussed the move with several close sources. Just a day before her dismissal, she had accompanied him to the Supreme Court of the United States for arguments in a birthright citizenship case and later attended his primetime address on the Iran conflict.
Even as the administration's focus remained on Iran, speculation about Bondi's future began to spread rapidly through Washington, signaling that a major shake-up was imminent.
Lately, Bondi had largely stayed out of the spotlight, as Trump reportedly grew increasingly critical of her behind the scenes for not pursuing legal action against his political rivals.
Her time in the role was also overshadowed by controversy surrounding her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, with the administration facing criticism over a perceived lack of transparency.
