President Donald Trump removed Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday, ending a turbulent tenure that increasingly drew criticism from both inside and outside the administration. The biggest issue appeared to be Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, which became a political headache after conflicting public statements and mounting congressional pressure.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will take over as acting Attorney General immediately. Blanche has long been seen as one of Trump’s closest legal allies, making the transition likely to keep the Justice Department closely aligned with the White House.
Trump indicated Bondi will move to a private-sector role and praised her service, but reports suggest his dissatisfaction had been building for months. Lee Zeldin is now considered one of the top candidates to become the next permanent Attorney General.
Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi after frustration over the Epstein files and stalled investigations. Todd Blanche is now acting AG, while Lee Zeldin is emerging as a possible permanent replacement. #Trump #PamBondi #ToddBlanche #AttorneyGeneral #DOJ pic.twitter.com/08G7ve3ydo
— Matthew Brady (@mattbrady775) April 2, 2026
- President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on April 2 that he has fired Attorney General Pam Bondi after roughly 14 months in office.
- Trump praised Bondi as a “Great American Patriot” and said she will move into an unnamed private-sector position that will be announced later.
- Bondi responded on X, saying she is “thrilled” about the new role and will spend the next month helping transition leadership to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
- Todd Blanche, previously Trump’s personal attorney and current Deputy Attorney General, becomes acting Attorney General immediately. Trump called him a “talented and respected Legal Mind.”
- Multiple reports say Trump had become increasingly frustrated with Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files controversy, especially confusion surrounding references to a possible “client list” that the DOJ later said did not exist.
- Trump and his allies were also reportedly unhappy that Bondi had not moved aggressively enough against political opponents and had failed to secure major legal victories in several high-profile investigations.
- Bondi remains under congressional scrutiny. Lawmakers from both parties have said they still intend to compel her testimony regarding the Epstein files, and House subpoenas are already pending.
- EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is reportedly a leading contender to become the permanent Attorney General, although Trump has not yet made a final decision.
