Trump Removes Attorney General Pam Bondi, Names Deputy Todd Blanche as Interim Replacement

The nation's top law enforcement post has changed hands — again. President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday, April 2, 2026, making her the second cabinet official he has removed in just a matter of weeks.

Trump announced the dismissal through a social media post, saying he would replace Bondi with her deputy, Todd Blanche, on an interim basis. The move comes after months of reported tension between the president and his attorney general over two major sticking points: her handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein and her inability to bring criminal cases against Trump's political opponents.

"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," Mr. Trump wrote.

Bondi, 60, served as attorney general for just over 14 months. Her time in the role was marked by repeated attempts to satisfy a president who wanted direct influence over the Justice Department's prosecutorial decisions — including pushing for investigations that career prosecutors reportedly said lacked sufficient evidence to move forward.

A Department Left Weakened

Throughout her tenure, Bondi faced intense pressure to bend the Justice Department's traditionally independent role toward the administration's political priorities. According to reporting on her time in office, that pressure came at a cost. Veteran officials departed in significant numbers, and key divisions — including units focused on public corruption and national security — were left understaffed and struggling with low morale. U.S. attorneys' offices across the country were similarly affected.

Bondi becomes the second cabinet member to be removed by Trump in recent weeks. Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, was ousted last month. Together, the firings signal continued turbulence at the highest levels of the administration.

Todd Blanche, who previously served as one of Trump's personal defense attorneys before joining the Justice Department as deputy attorney general, will now lead the department in an acting capacity while the administration determines a permanent replacement.