2 months ago
With quips, memes and jabs, Democrats shouted Donald Trump’s firing of lawyer wide Pam Bondi connected Thursday, while nan president’s Republican friends praised her comparatively little tenure overseeing nan justness department.
Trump announced Bondi’s departure connected Truth Social, saying: “We emotion Pam, and she will beryllium transitioning to a overmuch needed and important caller occupation successful nan backstage sector, to beryllium announced astatine a day successful nan adjacent future.” Her lawman Todd Blanche will return complete arsenic acting lawyer general.
It was invited news for Democrats, who had since her confirmation successful February 2025 accused Bondi of destroying nan justness department’s accepted independency from nan White House, and taking its attorneys pinch retaliating against Trump’s enemies.
“Don’t fto nan doorway deed you connected nan measurement out,” Democratic congresswoman Angie Craig wrote connected X, expressing a sentiment emblematic of astir successful her party.
The apical House Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, predicted that nan defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, “is next”.
Democratic congressman Marc Veasey tweeted a meme of Ice Cube saying “Bye Felicia” from nan 1995 movie Friday, while his workfellow Chris Deluzio posted different meme from animated sitcom The Critic successful which a theatre showing nan play Cats burns down and nan protagonist declares: “And thing of worth was lost.”
Other Democrats fretted complete nan harm Bondi had done, and what whitethorn hap next.
Senator Chris Coons described Bondi’s capacity arsenic “terrible”, but warned: “Somehow her allegiance to Trump wasn’t enough. It’s alarming to perceive he whitethorn activity personification moreover much subservient and consenting to weaponize nan justness strategy for personal, financial, and governmental gain.”
Referring to Blanche, nan caller acting lawyer wide who represented Trump successful nan criminal cases brought against him during Joe Biden’s presidency, Democratic congressman Don Beyer said: “The DoJ is not a individual rule firm, yet Donald Trump has installed different 1 of his erstwhile individual defense lawyers to lead nan DoJ.”
“His unsighted allegiance to Trump is not a qualification for nan job. He is wholly unfit to lead nan DoJ,” Beyer said.
Many different Democrats accused Bondi of mishandling nan matter of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died while awaiting proceedings connected sex-trafficking charges successful 2019.
The erstwhile lawyer wide had early successful Trump’s 2nd word declared she had received a database of allegedly powerful group associated pinch Epstein, only to backtrack months later and state nan investigation closed. That flew successful nan look of conspiracy theories promoted by Trump and his followers, and sparked a backlash truthful aggravated that Congress passed a rule to merchandise nan government’s files related to Epstein complete nan president’s objections.
Robert Garcia, nan apical Democrat connected nan House oversight committee, which has been investigating nan government’s handling of nan Epstein files, noted that nan sheet had subpoenaed Bondi for grounds earlier her firing, and that she still was required to comply.
“Attorney General Pam Bondi has been starring a White House cover-up of nan Epstein files. She has weaponized nan Department of Justice to protect Donald Trump and put survivors successful harm’s measurement by exposing their identities,” he said.
“She will not flight accountability and remains legally obligated to look earlier our committee nether oath. She must reply for her mishandling of nan Epstein files and nan typical curen she has fixed Ghislaine Maxwell,” nan disgraced financier’s accomplice.
Democratic congressman Ro Khanna, a cardinal fig successful nan legislative push to person nan documents released, said: “Even though she has been fired, she must still reply to Congress astir nan remaining documents, why location person been nary caller prosecutions, and why she participated successful a cover-up.”
Republicans mostly offered good wishes while shying distant from discussing her policies.
“Pam Bondi is simply a awesome friend and 1 of nan champion lawyers I’ve ever met,” said Florida legislator Rick Scott. “She did an unthinkable occupation arsenic Florida’s lawyer wide erstwhile I was governor, and she has been an unthinkable US lawyer general.”
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Bondi “has done a awesome occupation for nan group of our federation arsenic lawyer general, and she has been a awesome friend for a agelong time. I cognize Pam will proceed to service America successful nan backstage sector.”
During her tenure, Bondi became known for combative appearances earlier legislature committees successful which she would personally onslaught Democratic lawmakers pinch accusation publication from a “burn book”.
Chuck Grassley, nan Republican chair of nan Senate judiciary committee which played big to her confirmation and fiery oversight hearings, said: “Under her leadership, this justness section has been much responsive to my legislature oversight requests than immoderate anterior management I’ve worked pinch – Republican aliases Democrat – and I expect that estimation to proceed nether Bondi’s successor.”
His sheet will beryllium tasked pinch confirming Bondi’s imperishable successor, and Grassley said: “The judiciary committee stands fresh to beforehand president Trump’s adjacent lawyer wide nominee.”
