Pamela Bondi, staunch Trump ally, out as attorney general

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump ousted Pamela Bondi as attorney general Thursday, closing out a tumultuous tenure punctuated by rolling controversies and attacks against the Justice Department’s traditional independence from the White House.

Trump, who made the announcement in a social media post, said his former personal attorney, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, would lead the department as acting attorney general. The president described Bondi as a “loyal friend” and said she would be moving into a new job in the private sector.

During Bondi’s tenure as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, the Trump administration shattered long-standing practices and weakened norms that put space between the White House and the department’s decision-making process on criminal probes.

Democrats and former career department officials said the Trump administration, under Bondi’s tenure, turned the powers of the DOJ into an instrument of revenge and retaliation against the president’s perceived enemies.

Last year prosecutors sought criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James and other critics of the administration. Comey and James pleaded not guilty and the charges were dismissed.

The administration also sought criminal charges against six sitting members of Congress earlier this year over a video they made stating the law that members of the military do not have to obey illegal orders. A Washington, D.C., grand jury refused to return any indictments in that case.

Bondi’s department also canceled grants that provided money to organizations that serve victims, sparking a series of legal challenges that are still ongoing. She also oversaw the department as the Trump administration tried to make a series of organizational changes, including a proposal to eliminate the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and merge its functions into the Drug Enforcement Administration. The proposal was eventually rebuffed by lawmakers.

In well-televised appearances on Capitol Hill, Bondi also took a combative posture with lawmakers. In one instance, she repeatedly declined to answer questions from Democratic senators during a Senate oversight hearing.

Bondi frequently clashed with Democrats in Congress, verbally sparring with members seeking answers about changes at DOJ. That included quips like “I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump” in response to a question from Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., on deployment of the National Guard to Chicago.

Her tenure was also bogged down by bipartisan criticism over the department’s handling of records about deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in particular her compliance with a law Congress passed last year that required making Epstein documents public.

Lawmakers, in passing the bill, hoped to shed light on Epstein’s network and any figures connected to the sexual exploitation of girls.

Instead, Epstein survivors say the department overly redacted information that could identify people who may have been co-conspirators or enablers of his abuse, while committing egregious errors in failing to fully redact the names and identifying information of victims.

Democrats on social media vowed to continue oversight efforts into the administration after Bondi’s ouster Thursday. That included members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee such as Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., who said the panel would continue to probe the release of files about Epstein.

“Make no mistake—we will hold you and this entire lawless Administration accountable. And, let us not forget that Todd [Blanche] has been the lead on the Epstein files by your own admission,” Stansbury posted.

Oversight panel ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said on social media that the committee would continue its probe into Bondi. The panel last month sent a subpoena for Bondi to provide more information on the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files.

Oversight panel ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said on social media that the committee would continue its probe into the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files. The panel sent a subpoena for Bondi to provide more information last month.

“Pam Bondi and Donald Trump may think her firing gets her out of testifying to the Oversight Committee. They are wrong – and we look forward to hearing from her under oath,” Garcia posted.

Trump’s Justice Department, the headquarters of which now bears a banner with his image, has faced numerous high-profile confrontations with other branches of government. Under Bondi, the Justice Department engaged in a monthslong court fight to prevent the return of mistakenly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was ultimately returned to the U.S.

Senate Judiciary Chair Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, praised Bondi’s work to combat violent crime in a statement Thursday where he said his panel would be ready to confirm a successor.

“Under her leadership, this Justice Department has been more responsive to my congressional oversight requests than any prior administration I’ve worked with – Republican or Democrat – and I expect that reputation to continue under Bondi’s successor,” Grassley said. “Safety and transparency ought to remain the Justice Department’s core focus.”

Trump has gone through multiple attorneys general over his two terms. In his first term, he fired close ally and former Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions over his recusal from an investigation into Russian government involvement in Trump’s 2016 campaign for president.

Later in Trump’s first term, Attorney General William Barr resigned following the 2020 election amid Trump’s baseless claims of electoral fraud.

Last month, Trump ousted Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary and replaced her with Markwayne Mullin, then a Republican senator from Oklahoma.