Trump Fires Attorney General Pam Bondi, Eyes Lee Zeldin as Replacement
The dismissal reportedly occurred after Bondi met with Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday night, just before the president delivered his national address on the war in Iran.
Tommy Flynn
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke with Fox News.
The dismissal reportedly occurred after Bondi met with Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday night, just before the president delivered his national address on the war in Iran. By the time Trump spoke, Bondi had already lost her job and was on her way back to Florida, the sources said.
Word coming out of the White House is Todd Blanche will become interim AG and Trump is actively considering replacing Bondi with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin. Zeldin met with Trump on Tuesday to discuss wildfire prevention, during which the possibility of him moving to the Justice Department was discussed. Sources describe Zeldin as the leading contender, though Trump could still change his mind.
The move reflects growing frustration within the Trump administration over Bondi’s leadership at the Department of Justice, particularly her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and what some allies see as insufficient aggression in pursuing investigations into the president’s political opponents. Bondi, a longtime Trump loyalist and former Florida attorney general, was confirmed as attorney general in early 2025.
A Justice Department spokesperson pushed back on the reports, stating that Bondi had been with Trump for the speech the previous night. When asked about the meetings and her status, a White House source did not confirm the firing but described the situation as “not cold.” The White House directed inquiries to a statement in which Trump defended Bondi: “Attorney General Pam Bondi is a wonderful person and she is doing a good job.”
The reported ouster would mark one of the most significant early Cabinet shake-ups of Trump’s second term. If Zeldin is nominated and confirmed, the former New York congressman would take over the nation’s top law enforcement role at a time when the administration is pursuing major priorities on immigration enforcement, election integrity, and investigations into prior administrations.
No official announcement of Bondi’s departure or a formal nomination for her successor has been made as of April 2, 2026. The development is still breaking and comes amid ongoing internal discussions about the direction and pace of the Department of Justice.
This story is developing.