Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche tapped as acting successor as Trump praises Bondi’s record while criticism over her tenure intensifies
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Pam Bondi will no longer serve as U.S. attorney general, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche set to replace her in an acting capacity.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“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,” he added.
Bondi, a former Republican state attorney general in Florida, had pledged to restore the U.S. Department of Justice’s focus on violent crime and rebuild trust with Trump’s supporters after federal prosecutors brought two criminal cases against Trump.
In a statement, Bondi said serving as attorney general had been the honor of a lifetime and pledged to continue supporting Trump and his administration.
She also outlined key accomplishments during her tenure.
“Since February 2025, we have secured the lowest murder rate in 125 years, secured first-ever terrorism convictions against members of Antifa, shattered domestic and transnational gangs across the country, taken custody of more than 90 key cartel figures, and won 24 favorable rulings at the Supreme Court,” Bondi wrote on X.
Trump’s decision to remove Bondi follows mounting criticism of her performance as the nation’s top law enforcement official, including scrutiny over her handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Bondi faced accusations of covering up or mismanaging the release of documents tied to the Justice Department’s sex trafficking investigations into Epstein, the late financier with connections to powerful figures. She consistently defended the rollout, arguing the Trump administration had been more transparent than its predecessors.
Her tenure also drew criticism over the removal of dozens of career prosecutors involved in investigations disfavored by Trump, with opponents accusing her of using the Justice Department to advance the president’s political and personal agenda.
Blanche, Trump’s former personal lawyer, responded to the appointment by praising Bondi’s leadership and thanking the president.
“Pam Bondi led this Department with strength and conviction and I’m grateful for her leadership and friendship,” Blanche wrote on X. “Thank you to President Trump for the trust and the opportunity to serve as Acting Attorney General. We will continue backing the blue, enforcing the law, and doing everything in our power to keep America safe.”
Bondi is the second senior Trump official to be removed in recent weeks. Last month, Kristi Noem was dismissed as Homeland Security secretary amid frustration over her management of the agency and immigration policies. Trump subsequently appointed Markwayne Mullin to lead the department.
