Trump Voices Private Frustrations with Attorney General Pam Bondi
President Donald Trump has expressed strong private criticisms about Attorney General Pam Bondi in recent weeks. Multiple administration officials and individuals familiar with the matter confirm that Trump has repeatedly told aides he views Bondi as weak and ineffective. The president believes she has failed to enforce his agenda aggressively enough.
Growing Discontent Over Key Priorities
Trump's complaints have become more frequent in recent months. They form part of a broader campaign to pressure the Justice Department into pursuing his priorities more vigorously. Chief among his grievances is Bondi's handling of cases against his longtime investigators.
Trump specifically wants faster prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James. Both criminal cases were dismissed in November by a judge who ruled the Trump aide who secured the indictments was improperly appointed. The president remains frustrated that these cases have not continued quickly.
Multiple Points of Contention
Several issues have fueled Trump's dissatisfaction. He has complained frequently about Bondi's management of the FBI files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. These files have created months of political and personal headaches for Trump, according to officials familiar with his complaints.
When White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair that Bondi "whiffed" on her handling of the Epstein files, Trump told staff he agreed with Wiles's assessment. The president has also heard from conservative activists criticizing Bondi and has collected social media posts about her that he has asked aides to review.
Trump has expressed frustration that the Justice Department hasn't done more to pursue those he claims helped steal the 2020 election. He has also talked with allies about appointing special counsels at the Justice Department because he feels progress on his priorities has been too slow.
Public Support Amid Private Criticism
Despite his private criticisms, Trump offered public support for Bondi in a statement to The Wall Street Journal. "Pam is doing an excellent job," Trump said. "She has been 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."
The White House also released statements from Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Wiles and other senior officials praising Bondi. Vance said Bondi has the "full support of President Trump and myself," while Wiles called her "incredibly talented, smart and hardworking."
Historical Parallels and Current Tensions
Trump's recent criticisms echo his fraught relationships with first-term attorneys general. He pushed out Jeff Sessions over the Russia probe, and William Barr ultimately resigned after saying investigators found no widespread fraud that would have changed Trump's 2020 election loss.
Sarah Isgur, who served as a spokeswoman for Sessions at the Justice Department, noted the inherent tension. "The better an attorney is, the more process-oriented they are going to be, and that is in direct opposition to what Trump wants, which is someone who is outcome-oriented," Isgur said. "He can never find a great attorney general because, by definition, they can't be a great lawyer."
Bondi's Response and Visibility
Bondi has grown increasingly concerned about Trump's complaints in the past month, according to people in touch with her. A spokesman for Bondi said she has been focused on executing Trump's directive to make America safe again.
The attorney general has been less visible around the White House in recent months, according to White House officials. She didn't appear with Trump to announce the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, even though her agency's prosecution underpinned the arrest. A Justice Department official said travel logistics and the operation's sensitive nature kept her from attending.
Structural Changes and Continuing Investigations
Vance announced an unusual arrangement on Thursday: the creation of a high-ranking Justice Department post to investigate fraud that would be run by the White House and answerable to Trump instead of Bondi. Bondi thanked Vance in a social media post, and a department official said she worked with the White House on the position.
The Justice Department continues to pursue several investigations important to Trump. Prosecutors have issued dozens of subpoenas as part of an inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election, though no charges have been filed. The department also filed notices of appeal in the Comey and James cases nearly a month after the judge dismissed charges.
Bondi, 60, has pursued many of Trump's priorities since taking the job in February. She fired prosecutors who had worked on investigations of him and made frequent appearances on Fox News to praise him. She authorized a U.S. attorney in Florida to reinvestigate the government's assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Epstein Files Remain a Persistent Issue
The Justice Department's continuing release of Epstein files has kept Trump's past relationship with the disgraced financier in the spotlight. Trump has said he cut off ties long before Epstein was first arrested in 2006. As new Epstein files were released over the holidays, Trump again complained about Bondi's handling of them.
In November, hours after Trump demanded the Justice Department investigate prominent Democrats named in the Epstein documents, Bondi directed Manhattan's U.S. attorney to lead the probe and addressed it on social media. "Thank you, Mr. President," she wrote.
Despite the tensions, Trump remains personally warm with Bondi at times. The former Florida attorney general, who once served as one of Trump's personal attorneys, attended the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony Trump hosted last month, according to a person familiar with their interactions.
