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.
President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday, April 2, marking the second time in his second term that he has fired a Cabinet member.
Mr. Bondi’s firing is the latest example of Mr. Trump’s leadership style as president, which has been characterized by frequent changes at the top of his administration. Lawmakers from both parties accused Mr. Bondi of failing to release the Jeffrey Epstein files as ordered by Congress in December.
From Bondi to Kristi Noem, here are some notable examples of Trump’s use of his signature catchphrase as president over the years: “You’re fired.”
Bondi becomes the latest member of the Trump administration to be shown the door, with the president announcing the move in a post on Truth Social. He praised Bondi as a “great American patriot and a loyal friend,” adding that he plans to move into the private sector.
Following his firing, Mr. Bondi said he would hand over his duties at the Justice Department to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and continue to support Mr. Trump and his administration.
“President Trump’s historic and highly successful efforts to make America safer and more secure is the honor of a lifetime,” Bondi wrote on social media, calling his tenure “the most important first year of the Department of Justice in American history.”
Kristi Noem
Noem, who served as Homeland Security secretary and oversaw President Trump’s promise of mass deportations, was fired on March 5, shortly after being questioned by lawmakers over the department’s massive spending.
Her exit came after controversy surrounding a $220 million Department of Homeland Security ad campaign that featured Nomu prominently. She said President Trump approved the ad, but the president denied this claim.
During her time in office, Noem was a frequent target of criticism as her administration ramped up immigration enforcement. Her leadership at the department has come under increased scrutiny as public outcry over violence in Minneapolis, including the shooting deaths of two Americans, has garnered national attention.
Rex Tillerson
Rex Tillerson, who served as Secretary of State during the Trump administration’s first term, was fired by the president in March 2018 after returning from a trip to Africa.
During his time in office, Tillerson was often seen as operating outside of Trump’s inner circle and sometimes publicly diverged from the president’s views. President Trump said his decision to dismiss Tillerson was based on differences of opinion on North Korea diplomacy, steel and aluminum tariffs, and the Iran nuclear deal.
Mike Pompeo replaced Tillerson as Secretary of State.
jeff sessions
Jeff Sessions, who served as U.S. attorney general, was fired by President Trump after a year of intense scrutiny from the White House.
His resignation was forced by President Trump and came after the president criticized Sessions over his decision to recuse himself from the Justice Department’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The President has named Matthew Whitaker, Chief of Staff to the Attorney General, as interim Attorney General.
john bolton
Bolton served as President Trump’s national security adviser until he was fired by the president in September 2019 following sharp disagreements over foreign policy.
President Trump announced the move in a social media post, writing that he and Bolton “strongly disagree” on several issues and that Bolton’s service in the White House is no longer needed.
Mr. Bolton publicly disputed Mr. Trump’s explanation, saying that Mr. Trump was not fired but offered to resign.
“I tendered my resignation last night, and President Trump said, ‘Let’s talk about it tomorrow,'” Bolton said at the time.
anthony scaramucci
Anthony Scaramucci served as White House communications director for just 11 days during President Trump’s first term, making him one of the shortest-serving senior officials in the Trump administration.
His short tenure drew scrutiny for his lack of communications experience and confrontational style, which caused tension within the West Wing. Scaramucci also publicly vowed to root out leaks from within his administration and said he would fire any staffer found speaking to the media without permission.
james comey
President Trump surprised the political world in May 2017 by firing FBI Director James Comey, an abrupt end to a term fraught with political controversy, from the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia to the handling of Hillary Clinton’s classified emails.
In recommending that Mr. Comey be fired, Justice Department leaders criticized Mr. Clinton’s handling of the investigation into his use of a private email server while secretary of state. In a letter to Comey released by the White House, Trump agreed that he was “unable to effectively lead the department.”
Democrats, including some who had previously attacked Comey for his handling of the Clinton investigation, viewed Trump’s firing as a blatant attempt to obstruct the Russia investigation.
contribution: Bert Jansen, Terry Collins, Sarah Wyer, Ryan W. Miller, Gregory Cote, Michael Loria, USA TODAY
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
