Trump removes longtime ally Attorney General Pam Bondi

WASHINGTON

U.S. President Donald Trump has fired Attorney General Pam Bondi after months of strained relations and named his former personal lawyer to serve as the acting chief of the Justice Department.

The move, which the Republican president announced in a social media post on April 2, comes amid criticism of Bondi's handling of the Epstein files and her failure to successfully prosecute several perceived Trump political foes.

"Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year," Trump said on Truth Social. "Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country."

Bondi "will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector," the president said, and will be replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who Trump described as "a very talented and respected Legal Mind."

Bondi has been a staunch Trump ally but has drawn fire from some of his supporters for her handling of the release of the Justice Department files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Bondi has also reportedly drawn Trump's ire by falling short with efforts to prosecute perceived Trump opponents such as former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Bondi's ouster comes nearly a month after Trump fired Kristi Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security.