Trump Fires Key Aide Who Was In Charge Of Epstein Files Disclosure

US President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and what he sees as a lack of aggression in targeting his enemies. Trump was reportedly 'frustrated' with Bondi, according to the Associated Press.

The ouster of Bondi comes almost a month after Trump fired Kristi Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security.

Pam "will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector," Trump announced on his Truth Social platform.

"Our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General", he said.

Trump has privately discussed replacing Bondi with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, according to the New York Times.

Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York, has been publicly and privately praised by Trump, who at an event in February described him as “our secret weapon.”

Bondi, a former state attorney general in Florida and a Trump loyalist who was part of his legal team during his first impeachment case, has been in her position for more than a year.

She came into office pledging that she would not play politics with the Justice Department, but she quickly started investigations of Trump foes, sparking an outcry that the law enforcement agency was being wielded as a tool of revenge to advance the president's political and personal agenda.

Bondi, who defended Trump during his first impeachment trial, was his second choice to lead the Justice Department, picked for the role after former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida withdrew his name from consideration amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.