Trump fires Pam Bondi as US attorney-general; Lee Zeldin tipped as successor
Washington: US President Donald Trump fired the attorney general, Pam Bondi, after a tumultuous year in which she oversaw the release of the so-called Epstein Files and ill-fated attempts to prosecute her boss’s political enemies.
Bondi was reportedly notified of the termination on Wednesday (Washington time) and flew back to Florida.
“Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend who has faithfully served as my Attorney General for the past year,” Trump said on social media.
“Pam has done a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown on Crime across our Country, with homicides falling to their lowest levels since 1900.
“We love Pam and she will be transitioning to a much-needed and important new job in the private sector, which will be announced in the near future.”
The president announced that deputy attorney general Todd Blanche, formerly one of Trump’s personal attorneys, will serve as acting attorney general.
Some news outlets in the US have reported that Lee Zeldin, currently administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, is one of the candidates to replace Bondi permanently.
More to come
Michael Koziol is the North America correspondent for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former Sydney editor, Sun-Herald deputy editor and a federal political correspondent in Canberra.Connect with: X or email.
