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Donald Trump Fires His Justice Minister Pam Bondi

Washington – President Donald Trump fired his Justice Minister Pam Bondi on Thursday, a loyal ally who was criticized for her handling of the Epstein case, announcing her departure to the “private sector”. Todd Blanche, former personal lawyer of Donald Trump and number 2 at the Justice Department, will temporarily replace Ms. Bondi, added the president on his Truth social network, praising the outgoing minister’s action as a “great patriot” against crime. This is the second high-level official ousted from the Trump administration, less than a month after the Minister of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Several American media outlets, including CNN and Fox News, had previously reported on this dismissal. Donald Trump reproaches Pam Bondi for her handling of the case of sexual criminal Jeffrey Epstein as well as for not having sufficiently prosecuted individuals that he considers personal enemies, CNN reports. Todd Blanche, described by Donald Trump as a “very talented and respected lawyer”, was at the forefront of the Epstein case when the Justice Department published “over three million pages” of Jeffrey Epstein’s file on January 30, incarcerated in 2019 in New York before his trial. “Ordering indictments like pizzas” Pam Bondi, former Florida Attorney General, stood out as the Justice Minister for her unconditional defense of the Republican president, especially during heated hearings with Democratic lawmakers in Congress. In February, several Democrats accused her of “covering up” the Epstein case by not complying with the law requiring the Trump administration to fully disclose this politically explosive case. Democrats also questioned the Justice Minister on criminal prosecutions initiated by the president against targets of his ire, many of which were unsuccessful. The justice system thus dismissed the charges against former FBI director James Comey and New York State Attorney Letitia James, with citizen juries refusing to indict six Democratic lawmakers who had urged military personnel to disobey the administration’s “illegal orders”. “You have turned the Justice Department, meant to serve the people, into Trump’s instrument of vengeance. Trump orders indictments like he orders pizzas, and you comply,” mocked Jamie Raskin. In September, Donald Trump publicly pressured his Justice Minister, expressing surprise on Truth Social that James Comey and Letitia James had not yet been indicted. Selim SAHEB ETTABA – Agence France-Presse