Attorney General Pam Bondi has fired a Department of Justice (DOJ) employee after she reportedly flipped off and cursed at a member of the National Guard.
Bondi, 59, terminated Elizabeth Baxter on Friday, Aug. 29, according to the New York Post, which obtained the termination letter. Baxter, a paralegal specialist in the DOJ’s Environmental Defense Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division, allegedly made the gesture at a National Guard member on her way to work in Washington, D.C.
The incident happened on Aug. 18 during a time when law enforcement presence was heightened in the capital at the request of President Donald Trump. Baxter reportedly told a security guard about the interaction when she arrived at the DOJ’s 4CON office building.
According to the Post, Baxter “boasted” to the security guard about flipping off the guardsman, who was stationed at the Metro Center station, and reportedly said, “F— the National Guard.”
Surveillance footage from the DOJ security guard’s desk, obtained by the Post, showed Baxter demonstrating the gesture. Hours later, security video captured her again raising her middle finger and saying “F— you,” aimed at the National Guard.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1033x686:1035x688):format(webp)/National-gueard-083025-a00de3c6d7ef40e8a58faaeeb0165675.jpg)
The outlet also reported that Baxter repeated similar statements a week later, telling another security guard at the office that she hated the National Guard and to “F— off!”
Bondi fired Baxter through a termination letter on the evening of Aug. 29 after an internal investigation that included multiple witnesses, according to the Post.
The letter stated, “Pursuant to Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States and based on your inappropriate conduct towards National Guard service members, your employment with the Department of Justice is hereby terminated, and you are removed from federal service effective immediately.”
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, and Baxter could not be reached on Saturday, Aug. 30.
“Today, I took action to terminate a DOJ employee for inappropriate conduct towards National Guard service members in DC,” Bondi said in a statement to the Post. “This DOJ remains committed to defending President Trump’s agenda and fighting to make America safe again. If you oppose our mission and disrespect law enforcement — you will NO LONGER work at DOJ.”
This firing follows another recent termination by Bondi, when DOJ employee Sean Dunn, a D.C. resident, was fired earlier this month after allegedly throwing a Subway sandwich at a federal officer. Dunn was also charged with felony assault.
