OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
10:39 AM – Thursday, April 2, 2026
In a shake-up of the nation’s top law enforcement agency, President Donald Trump removed now-former Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday morning, immediately naming Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as the interim head of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
However, in a Truth Social Post, the president also explained that Bondi “will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector.”
The dismissal marks the second high-profile Cabinet departure in the past few months, following the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Noem has since been appointed as the Special Envoy for the “Shield of the Americas” in the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, Bondi’s transition into a new role follows months of alleged tension within the White House. While President Trump publicly praised her as a “wonderful person” as recently as this week, sources close to the administration say he had grown deeply frustrated with her performance.
In January, Bondi had faced intense scrutiny from both sides of the aisle over the DOJ’s handling of investigative files related to the late pedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. After initially suggesting she had an Epstein “client list” for review, the DOJ later walked back those claims, leading to Democrat-led allegations of a “botched” transparency effort.
Bondi had also been scheduled to provide a high-stakes deposition to the House Oversight Committee on April 14th regarding the Epstein investigation — a task that will now likely fall to her successor.
Meanwhile, Todd Blanche, who was confirmed as Deputy Attorney General in March 2025, now steps into the role of Acting Attorney General, effective immediately. Blanche is a deeply trusted figure within the Trump administration, having previously served as the president’s lead defense attorney in several high-profile criminal cases.
Last week, he came under attack from left-wing activists after his CPAC appearance, where he championed the use of federal agents to safeguard polling sites for the 2026 midterms. While he argued the move is essential to ensuring election integrity and stopping illegal voting, Democrats — who continue to insist that widespread voter fraud is a myth — were quick to condemn the proposal.
“Todd is a fighter who understands exactly what this administration needs to accomplish,” said a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity. “He doesn’t just know the law; he knows the mission.”
As of Thursday afternoon, Blanche has already moved into the Attorney General’s suite, signaling that the transition is well underway. The White House is also expected to make another formal announcement regarding a permanent nominee in the coming days.
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