US President Donald Trump has fired Attorney General Pam Bondi from her position, a White House official said on Thursday, according to Reuters. And it’s also raising questions about the future of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Why Pam Bondi was fired
Trump announced Pam Bondi’s removal in a post on Truth Social saying, “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,” he wrote. He also said Todd Blanche would serve as acting attorney general while Lee Zeldin is a top contender for the role.
However, reports suggest the situation was more complicated.
One person familiar with internal discussions told NBC that Trump had grown “more and more frustrated” with Bondi. The source said that while Trump liked her personally, he felt she had not “executed on his vision” the way he wanted.
During her time, Bondi removed many career Justice Department staff and shifted focus toward immigration cases. She also followed Trump’s push to take action against his political opponents. Prosecutors indicted James Comey, Letitia James and John Bolton, and also tried to bring charges against six members of Congress, according to The Guardian.
Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files created problems for the administration. Her contradictory statements added pressure and calls for transparency. Trump reportedly grew increasingly frustrated and the issue became a key reason behind her removal.
Tulsi Gabbard may be next
While Bondi’s firing was confirmed, Tulsi Gabbard’s future is still uncertain but concerns are growing. According to The Guardian, Trump has been privately asking cabinet officials if he should replace her as director of national intelligence, showing frustration over her handling of a situation involving a former deputy.
The issue began when Joe Kent, who worked under Gabbard, resigned after saying Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the US, going against Trump’s stance. Trump was already upset, and Gabbard added to it by not condemning Kent and not strongly defending the administration during a Capitol Hill hearing.
Additionally, Trump was also unhappy with a video she made warning about nuclear war and disagreed with her claim that Iran had not decided to build a nuclear bomb, saying, “She’s wrong.”
She also faced criticism for revoking security clearances of 37 people without confirming authority. The situation caused tension with her allies blaming the CIA, before the White House stepped in to settle the issue.
Why she hasn’t been fired yet
Despite the concerns, Trump has not taken action yet. Advisers have warned that removing her without a clear replacement could create unnecessary political problems.
For now, Gabbard’s spokesperson Olivia Coleman said she is still focused on her job. “Over the past two weeks, President Trump said both that he has confidence in the DNI and that she did well at her hearings before Congress. She remains committed to fulfilling the responsibilities the president placed in her,” Coleman said in a statement.
