US President Donald Trump on Thursday removed Attorney General Pam Bondi from her post, following mounting frustration with her performance, including her handling of investigative files related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mr Trump had also reportedly grown frustrated that Ms Bondi was not moving quickly enough to prosecute critics and adversaries who he wanted to face criminal charges.
In a social media post, Mr Trump praised Ms Bondi as a “Great American Patriot and a loyal friend” and said she will move to a job in the private sector. He said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer, will lead the Justice Department in the interim.
During her tenure as the top US law enforcement official, Ms Bondi was a combative champion of the Trump agenda and dismantled the Justice Department’s long-standing tradition of independence from the White House in its investigations.
But it was repeated criticism over the Epstein files, including from Trump allies and some Republican lawmakers, that came to dominate her tenure.
Ms Bondi was accused of covering up or mismanaging the release of records on the Justice Department's sex trafficking investigations into Epstein, a financier who cultivated ties with an array of wealthy and powerful figures.
The issue created political headaches for Mr Trump and drew renewed scrutiny of his past friendship with Epstein, which he said ended decades ago.
Her ouster could lead to a shake-up in strategy at the Justice Department and potentially a renewed push to deploy the US legal system against Mr Trump’s targets.
Ms Bondi is the second senior Trump official to be ousted recently.
Mr Trump removed Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem on March 5, following criticism of her management of the agency and Mr Trump’s immigration agenda.
