Another day, another firing. 

President Donald Trump shook up Washington again on Thursday, abruptly firing Attorney General Pam Bondi, the loyalist he'd tapped to lead the Justice Department. 

Bondi was known as a fierce Trump loyalist who was currently navigating unprecedented legal battles tied to immigration crackdowns and a historic partial government shutdown.

However, it’s Bondi’s handling of the Epstein files that will likely define her legacy the most. After mounting criticism over her management of documents tied to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, it seems this is what sealed her fate. Several early stumbles marked her failures and angered her peers. 

“Now, we need to fight to make sure that another lawless sycophant doesn’t replace Bondi,” said Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna in a video shared on X Thursday. “Whoever replaces Bondi should release all of the Epstein files and prosecute the rich and powerful men who abuse young girls.”

In recent months, Trump has been vocal about his disappointment with Bondi when it came to her handling of his political foes. According to Louisiana Democratic Rep. Cleo Fields, this is more than just a simple firing.

“Here is what should alarm every American: reports indicate that Trump’s frustration stemmed not from Bondi’s failure to uphold the law — but from his belief that she didn’t weaponize the Justice Department aggressively enough against his political enemies,” he said in a statement.

The firing was announced on the heels of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem’s firing recently. Like Bondi, Noem was a loyalist who faced a similar kind of backlash from both sides of the political aisle. 

Trump’s former defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, will step in as acting attorney general.