President Donald Trump has privately lashed out at Attorney General Pam Bondi, describing her as “weak and ineffective” and accusing her of repeatedly falling short on carrying out his agenda, according to a new report.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Trump has told aides Bondi isn’t pursuing his priorities with enough vigor, citing “administration officials and other people familiar with his complaints.” The report comes as Trump has directed law enforcement agencies to target political adversaries, including Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Trump’s frustration with Bondi has grown to the point that he is weighing the appointment of a special counsel to take over responsibilities that fall under her portfolio, the report said.
“Chief among his grievances is what he sees as Bondi’s failure to quickly and effectively prosecute the investigators who had pursued him for years, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James, the officials and others familiar with his complaints said,” the report reads in part. “Both criminal cases were dismissed in November by a judge who said the Trump aide who secured the indictment had been improperly appointed to her post. Trump has wanted to see the cases continue quickly.”
“Trump has also complained frequently that Bondi’s handling of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has created months of political and personal headaches for him, officials familiar with the complaints said,” it added. “When White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair that Bondi ‘whiffed’ on her handling of the files, Trump told staff that he agreed with Wiles, two officials said.”
