But Ms. Bondi had not expected Mr. Trump, the man responsible for elevating her to one of the most powerful positions in the country, to drop the curtain quite so soon, according to four people familiar with the situation.
On Wednesday, the 60-year-old Ms. Bondi, downcast but determined, joined Mr. Trump for a glum crosstown drive to the Supreme Court, where they watched arguments in the birthright citizenship case. In the car, Mr. Trump told her it was time for a change at the top of the Justice Department.
Ms. Bondi hoped to save her job or, at the very least, buy a little more time — until the summer — to give herself a graceful exit.
She ended up with neither, and grew emotional Wednesday in conversations with friends and colleagues after she realized she was out. The next morning, Mr. Trump made it official, and fired her via social media post.
Ms. Bondi’s precipitous fall laid bare a cornerstone truth of Mr. Trump’s second term: Loyalty, flattery and obeisance are prerequisites for power, but they don’t provide durable protection from a president intent on carrying out his maximalist personal and political goals.
NPR - Last year, Bondi said in an interview that a list of Epstein’s clients was on her desk. The Justice Department later said no such list existed, sparking conspiracy theories. Eventually, the department made some files public, but lawmakers say a lot of information remains hidden. Trump also wanted Bondi to be more aggressive in prosecuting people he dislikes. Even though she tried to advance those criminal cases, judges and grand juries didn’t appear to support them. Johnson says there may have been a lack of evidence to execute some of these cases. During Bondi’s time as attorney general, there was a massive exodus at the DOJ. Hundreds of prosecutors and FBI agents are now gone, reshaping the institution.
NPR - White House believes Bondi mishandled law enforcement files related to Epstein, NPR’s Carrie Johnson tells Up First. Last year, Bondi said in an interview that a list of Epstein’s clients was on her desk. The Justice Department later said no such list existed, sparking conspiracy theories. Eventually, the department made some files public, but lawmakers say a lot of information remains hidden. Trump also wanted Bondi to be more aggressive in prosecuting people he dislikes. Even though she tried to advance those criminal cases, judges and grand juries didn’t appear to support them. Johnson says there may have been a lack of evidence to execute some of these cases. During Bondi’s time as attorney general, there was a massive exodus at the DOJ. Hundreds of prosecutors and FBI agents are now gone, reshaping the institution.
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