The Justice Department’s mishandling of the Epstein file is likely to be central to future confirmation hearings.
Trump fires Pam Bondi after Epstein criticism
Pam Bondi is absent. President Trump has fired the US attorney general following criticism of the Epstein file.
Pam Bondi is absent from the Department of Justice. And all paths to replacing her lead pass through one place: the U.S. Senate.
An impending political brawl has already begun on Capitol Hill over who will replace the embattled attorney general as the nation’s top law enforcement official, whom President Donald Trump fired on April 2.
For a variety of reasons, regardless of who President Trump installs in the position permanently, it won’t be easy or quiet.
Anger over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein file is spreading like wildfire within Congress, both among Republicans and Democrats. Allaying that discontent will be a key variable in determining how much support her successor receives in the Republican-controlled Senate. A simple majority vote is all it takes for the next nominee to become the next attorney general, but just a few Republicans could block confirmation.
Mr. Bondi’s successor will have to navigate larger changes at the traditionally apolitical Justice Department. Under Bondi’s leadership, the department, for the first time in recent history, has aggressively pursued investigations into the president’s political rivals. In an unusual legal move, a Democratic senator, a former FBI director, and the New York state attorney general were all targeted. This controversial pattern has even infuriated some Republican senators, who need the White House to work with another Justice Department chief.
For example, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) has been blocking President Trump’s nomination to lead the Federal Reserve until the Justice Department dropped its investigation into current Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.
Importantly, Tillis serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and his support may be needed to pass the next attorney general confirmation.
Democrats promise to fight
In February 2025, all Republican senators and one Democrat (Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania) voted to confirm Mr. Bondi as head of the Department of Justice.
A lot has happened since then that has upset Senate Republican moderates.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) criticized the actions of some of the most closely scrutinized parts of the Justice Department and joined Democrats in calling for an investigation into Bondi’s oversight of the release of files related to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has been a vocal opponent of cutting the Justice Department’s budget and previously said the investigation into the Fed raised “many disturbing questions.”
Who the president chooses to replace Bondi will be a determining factor in how much support that person receives in Congress. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who was recently replaced by President Trump after he fired Kristi Noem, is on track for Senate confirmation, in part because he is a sitting senator and has friends across the aisle.
According to the New York Times and CNN, President Trump is reportedly considering replacing Bondi with Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. He immediately appointed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting attorney general.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, praised Bondi’s leadership in a statement and said Senate Republicans were ready to begin confirmation.
“The Judiciary Committee is ready to endorse President Trump’s nominee for the next attorney general,” he said. However, that process does not begin until President Trump nominates a nominee. And the Senate won’t return from its two-week recess until April 13.
Democrats have vowed to stop it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said while his caucus was glad Bondi was gone, “corruption in the Justice Department begins and ends with Donald Trump.”
“The cover-up of the Epstein file will continue, along with myriad other problems at the Justice Department, as long as the focus remains on using the Justice Department as a vehicle for revenge, rather than law enforcement,” he said.
Zachary Schermele is a Congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can email us at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social..
