President Donald Trump announced that he has fired Pam Bondi as Attorney General, confirming reports that he had removed one of the most prominent members of his Cabinet after speculation about her future. Trump said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will serve as acting attorney general.
In a Truth Social post, Trump called Bondi “a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend” and said she had “faithfully served” as attorney general over the past year.
He added that Blanche, whom he described as “a very talented and respected Legal Mind,” would step in as acting Attorney General, while Bondi would move to what he called “a much-needed and important new job in the private sector.”
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) April 2, 2026
The post marked Trump’s first public confirmation that Bondi was out, and it came after reports claimed that she pleaded with the president to keep her job as the nation’s top attorney.
Fox News was first to report that Bondi had been fired, citing sources familiar with the matter, and Reuters later reported that the dismissal had also been confirmed by CNN. Fox News said Bondi was informed during a Wednesday night Oval Office meeting that her tenure had ended. Reuters reported that Blanche would take over on an interim basis as suggested in the President’s Truth Social post.
Bondi’s exit followed a day of rapidly shifting signals from the White House. Earlier Thursday, Reuters reported that Trump had been discussing whether to remove her and had considered Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin as a possible replacement.
At that stage, Trump tried to dispel rumors about her being fired by publicly describing Bondi as “a wonderful person” who was “doing a good job.” By later in the day, he had announced her departure himself.
The reports pointed to several sources of conflict behind the move to oust one of his most devoted officials. Reuters said Trump had grown frustrated with Bondi’s handling of Justice Department matters tied to Jeffrey Epstein and with what he saw as an uneven record in pursuing cases involving political opponents.
FOX CONFIRMS PAM BONDI OUT AS AG
TODD BLANCHE TO BE INTERIM AG pic.twitter.com/L8tZ33Geor
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 2, 2026
AP also reported that Bondi had been under pressure from some conservatives over the Epstein files issue and from internal White House discussions about the department’s performance.
Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, entered the job as one of Trump’s best-known legal allies. She had defended him during his first impeachment trial and was tapped for the attorney general role after Trump’s original 2024 choice, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, dropped out.
Her departure now gives Blanche, another Trump ally and former personal defense lawyer, temporary control of the Justice Department at a critical point for the administration.
Trump’s statement tried to place the change on friendly terms, praising Bondi’s service and pointing to crime statistics as part of his sendoff. He did not give a detailed reason for the switch, and the White House did not immediately release further explanation beyond the president’s post.
Reuters said early reports on the firing likewise did not include a full public accounting from Trump or his aides.
The immediate question in Washington is whether Blanche remains a short-term caretaker or becomes part of a larger Justice Department shake-up. Earlier reports had named Zeldin as one person Trump was considering for the permanent job, though no nomination had been announced at the time of writing this report.
Bondi had a controversial tenure as AG and numerous lawmakers have pledged to investigate her handling of the Epstein Files and potentially pursue criminal charges.
