New acting attorney general Todd Blanche (left) and then attorney general Pam Bondi, in Washington, January 15, 2026. MANDEL NGAN/AFP
The situation is now clear. Since Thursday, April 2, Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, has been serving as acting attorney general; therefore, the boundaries between personal priorities and public interest appear to be fully blurred. Previously second-in-command, he now succeeds Pam Bondi in this key role as attorney general of the United States.
In a message posted on his Truth Social network, Trump announced Bondi's departure, making her the second high-ranking woman to be dismissed after Kristi Noem, the former secretary of homeland security. "We love Pam," said the US president, calling her a "great patriot" and a "loyal friend," before hinting at her move to the private sector without providing details.
Behind this cordial message lies presidential frustration. Rumors of the former Florida prosecutor's dismissal had been mounting for months, fueled in particular by online influencers from the MAGA ("Make America Great Again") sphere. This ecosystem had regarded her from the outset as an outsider and an unwelcome figure, after Trump's first choice for the role, Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, was dropped due to sexual scandals involving minors.
