US President Donald Trump on Thursday ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi, stating that she will now be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector.
Why Trump sacked Bondi?
In a Truth Social post, Trump described a Bondi as a "Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year", claiming that murders rates in the United States plummeted to their lowest since 1990 under her watch.
However, Trump said Bondi will will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, while Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will be her replacement. "Our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General."
According to reports, Trump was 'frustrated' with Pam Bondi for what he viewed as "lacking aggression" to target his rivals, and over her handling of the Epstein Files sex-trafficking probe.
Who is Pam Bondi?
A close aide of Donald Trump, Pamela Jo Bondi, was November 17, 1965 in Temple Terrace, Florida where she graduated from the C. Leon King High School in Tampa, and later earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of Florida in 1987, and a JD from Stetson University College of Law in 1990.
Pam's father, Joseph C. Bondi Jr, was a city council member and then mayor of Temple Terrace, and in 2010, she became the first woman attorney general of Florida. Bondi was re-elected in 2014, becoming the first Republican to win a second term in the state of Florida.
Pam Bondi's association with Trump
Pam Bondi is considered a close associate of Donald Trump and was part of his defense counsel during the his first impeachment trial in 2020. She later headed the legal arm of America First Policy Institute, a non-profit conservative think tank linked to Trump, before she the then President-elect nominated her for U.S. attorney general in November 2024.
Bondi was sworn-in to the top post on February 4, 2025 after the US Senate confirmed her nomination by a 54-46 vote. On Thursday, Trump sacked Pam Bondi, as he is reportedly displeased with her handling of the Epstein files probe and her inability to target his opponents, the Associated Press reported.