President Donald Trump has expressed mounting frustration with Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding several high-profile cases that have faltered and her management of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The discontent signals potential turbulence within the Justice Department as the administration seeks to advance its legal priorities.
The Wall Street Journal published a report Monday detailing the president’s dissatisfaction. Central to Trump’s concerns are failed prosecutions targeting individuals he considers political adversaries.
This includes former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Trump has reportedly endorsed an assessment from Chief of Staff, and so-called “Ice Queen,” Susie Wiles that Bondi mishandled the Epstein documents situation.
Wiles made this criticism public in a Vanity Fair cover story published last month.
Steve Bannon, a longtime political ally of Trump, informed the newspaper that Bondi is losing support among the president’s base.
He stated that she has disappointed both Trump and his most dedicated supporters.
“Folks are desperate for action and just haven’t seen it,” Bannon said.
He noted that Trump’s supporters want to see investigations into the 2020 election and the 2016 Russia investigation, which Trump maintains was an effort by Democrats to undermine his first presidency.
The White House moved quickly to defend Bondi following the report’s publication.
Statements were provided to the Daily Mail from Trump, Vice President, Wiles, press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“Pam is doing an excellent job. She has my friend for many years. Tremendous progress is being made against radical left lunatics who are good at only one thing, cheating in elections and the crimes they commit,” Trump stated.
The attorney general position requires Senate confirmation and presidential appointment, though the Department of Justice traditionally maintains independence from White House influence.
Trump has reportedly pushed Bondi to diminish this traditional separation.
According to the Journal, Trump’s criticism forms part of a broader effort to pressure the Justice Department into more aggressively pursuing his policy objectives and legal targets.
Indictments had been secured against both Comey and James, but a judge dismissed these cases in November.
The dismissals came after the court determined that Lindsey Halligan, a former personal attorney for Trump who was named acting US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in September, had been improperly installed in that position.
Trump has reportedly urged the Justice Department to continue pursuing these cases despite the judicial setback.
The Journal reported he has discussed with allies the possibility of appointing special counsels to accelerate the department’s work.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell confirmed Sunday night that the Justice Department has opened an investigation into him.
Trump appointed Powell during his first term but has recently criticized him for failing to reduce interest rates that might stimulate economic growth.
The Epstein documents have created ongoing political challenges for Trump since he returned to office.
Trump pledged during his 2024 campaign to release all files related to Epstein.
Bondi generated controversy in February when she distributed binders to influencers that contained previously available public documents rather than new information.
“I think she completely whiffed on appreciating that that was the very targeted group that cared about this,” Wiles told Vanity Fair.
“First she gave them binders full of nothingness. And then she said that the witness list, or the client list, was on her desk.”
“There is no client list, and it sure as well wasn’t on her desk,” Wiles added.
Following a bipartisan congressional push for the Epstein files release, Trump has continued expressing displeasure with Bondi’s handling of the matter privately, though he has maintained cordial public appearances with her, according to the Journal.
Both attended the Kennedy Center Honors last month together. However, the Daily Mail reported that Bondi was notably absent from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago press conference earlier this month announcing the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, despite the Justice Department’s significant involvement in that operation.
