Trump Fires Ex-Florida AG Bondi Amid Epstein Files Clash

President Trump forced out Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday, ending a turbulent 14-month tenure defined by the dismantling of Justice Department independence, politically charged prosecutions, and a damaging public fight over the release of files tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump announced the departure in a social media post, saying Bondi "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." Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal attorney, will serve as acting attorney general.

For Treasure Coast residents, Bondi's exit carries particular weight. She served as Florida's attorney general from 2011 to 2019, building her political career partly on the strength of her support in South Florida and along the I-95 corridor — including in St. Lucie and Martin counties, where she remained well-known. Her rise to the nation's top law enforcement post was seen locally as a Florida story; her fall will be, too.

Bondi is the second Cabinet member Trump has dismissed, following his firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem roughly one month ago.

The Epstein files became her undoing. Early in her tenure, Bondi told Fox News she had Epstein's client list "sitting on my desk right now to review." Months later, the department reversed course, saying no such list existed and no additional files would be released — a reversal that ignited a bipartisan backlash on Capitol Hill. Congress responded by passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated release of all Epstein-related materials in the department's possession. The Justice Department missed the law's 30-day deadline and drew further criticism over heavy redactions in documents it eventually released.

Critics say her tenure inflicted lasting damage on the institution. Stacey Young, a former department attorney who now leads Justice Connection, said Bondi "took a sledgehammer to the Justice Department and its workforce," adding that what she destroyed "in a year could take decades to rebuild."

Bondi had defended her record, citing crackdowns on drug cartels and violent crime. In her own statement Thursday, she said she "will continue fighting" for Trump and his administration.

Her exit throws into question a pending congressional deposition. The House Oversight Committee had subpoenaed Bondi to testify under oath later this month. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the panel's top Democrat, said Thursday she remains "legally obligated to appear before our Committee under oath." Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said he would meet with GOP members to determine next steps.

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