Donald Trump SACKS Attorney General Pam Bondi over Epstein files fallout

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Apr 2, 2026 - 18:32

Donald Trump SACKS Attorney General Pam Bondi over Epstein files fallout

President Donald Trump has fired Pam Bondi as the US Attorney General amid the fallout from the release of the Epstein files.

Frustration has been growing within the White House over Mrs Bondi's handling of investigative files related to the late financier and sex offender.

President Donald Trump had also reportedly grown frustrated that Mrs Bondi was not moving quickly enough to prosecute critics and adversaries who he wanted to face criminal charges.

Mrs Bondi has become the second high profile sacking from President Trump's administration, after the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on March 5 following criticism of her management of the agency and the White House's immigration agenda.

President Trump has confirmed she was being replaced by deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in an acting capacity.

Mrs Bondi was an outspoken champion of President Trump’s agenda and dismantled the Justice Department’s longstanding tradition of independence from the White House in its investigations.

However, she was accused of covering up or mismanaging the release of records on the Department of Justice (DoJ) sex trafficking investigations into Epstein, a financier who cultivated ties with a wide array of wealthy and powerful figures.

The issue created political headaches for President Trump and drew renewed scrutiny of his past friendship with Epstein, which he has said ended decades ago.

$\u200bAttorney General Pam Bondi with Donald Trump$

Mrs Bondi, a former Republican state attorney general in Florida, said she worked on restoring the Justice Department’s focus on violent crime and rebuilding trust with Trump’s supporters after federal prosecutors twice criminally charged Trump during his years out of power.

She also faced criticism over the removal of dozens of career prosecutors who worked on investigations disfavoured by President Trump, with critics accusing her of abandoning the DoJ’s traditional focus on even-handed justice.

Mrs Bondi defended the rollout of the Epstein files, saying the Trump administration had been more transparent on the issue than previous presidents and that DoJ lawyers worked on a compressed timeline to review reams of material.

During a combative hearing before a House of Representatives panel in January, Bondi responded to criticism with political attacks directed at lawmakers. She also refused to apologise or look at Epstein victims and their relatives who attended the proceedings.