Pam Bondi firing row: Trump picks new AG amid concerning reports; Tulsi Gabbard warned

Pam Bondi firing update: President Donald Trump has fired Attorney General Bondi, and is replacing her with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche

Updated on: Apr 2, 2026, 22:57:04 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Pam Bondi firing update: President Donald Trump has fired Attorney General Bondi, and is replacing her with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Bondi will be offered another position in the administration, CBS reported, citing sources. This comes after The New York Times reported about the president being frustrated with the AG over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Capitol Hill (AP)

On Thursday, AP cited sources to report that Lee Zeldin could become the new AG if Bondi is fired. However, there is no update on Zeldin yet.

What did Trump say?

“Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year. Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900. 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, and our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Why Trump fired Pam Bondi

As per the AP report, Trump is not only concerned about the Epstein situation, he is also frustrated about the hurdles the Justice Department has encountered in investigations into his perceived enemies.

Sources told the news wire that Trump has mentioned other candidates but has raised Zeldin’s name as recently as this week. However, no decision has been announced yet.

"Attorney General Pam Bondi is a wonderful person and she is doing a good job,” Trump said in a statement produced by the White House.

Lee Zeldin rumors

Zeldin has emerged as a rising figure within Trump’s inner circle, earning both public and private praise from the former president, the report stated. At a February event, Trump highlighted his importance, calling him ‘our secret weapon’.

Meanwhile, Bondi has faced mounting scrutiny during her tenure, despite initially promising to keep politics out of the Justice Department. Since taking office more than a year ago, she has drawn criticism for launching a series of investigations targeting individuals seen as political adversaries of Trump.

Those probes included high-profile figures such as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, New York Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI Director James Comey, and former CIA Director John Brennan. The moves triggered backlash from critics who argued the department was being used to pursue political vendettas.

Tulsi Gabbard warned

Meanwhile, reports stated that the president has also spoken about sacking director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. He reportedly expressed his frustration, saying she shielded a former deputy who spoke against the war in Iran.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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