In a surprising development, President Donald Trump has discussed firing Attorney General Pam Bondi and replacing her with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin in recent days, a CNN report said.
Why does Trump want to replace Pam Bondi?
Although Donald Trump has consistently spoken positively about Pam Bondi, he has recently spoken privately with allies about the possibility of replacing her, amid growing opposition in his base over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, sources close to CNN explained.
He is also unhappy that she did not adequately investigate his political opponents. In September, Trump posted on social media targeting Bondi and bemoaning the lack of charges.
A New York Times report said that over the past year, Trump has sent mixed signals about Bondi, at times expressing private frustration that she has not been aggressive or effective enough in advancing his agenda. However, it is not clear whether the president has made up his mind. On Wednesday, Bondi was with Trump, riding in his motorcade as he attended Supreme Court arguments on birthright citizenship and personally listening to his remarks on the Iran war that night.
Later, Trump commented, “Attorney General Pam Bondi is a wonderful person and she is doing a good job.
Bondi was Trump’s second choice to head the Justice Department after former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz resigned due to insufficient support from GOP senators. Trump previously considered her for a role in his administration in 2018, after he fired then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Who is Lee Zeldin?
Lee Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York who previously ran unsuccessfully for governor, has emerged as one of Donald Trump’s most reliable allies. He now serves as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, charged with protecting human health and the environment, yet he has focused heavily on advancing Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda.
“He’s our secret weapon,” Trump said of Zeldin in February at a White House event promoting the coal industry, adding, “He’s doing these approvals in record time.”
