In a high-stakes shakeup at the Department of Justice, President Donald Trump dismissed Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
The decision follows months of escalating tension over her performance, specifically her controversial handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigative files.
Bondi’s tenure was increasingly defined by the "Epstein Files" controversy.
After promising a full release, the subsequent disclosures were plagued by massive redactions and, most damagingly, serious errors that exposed survivors' identities.
A coalition of survivors released a blistering statement following the news, explicitly stating that “Attorney General Pam Bondi failed us.”
They alleged that under her leadership, the DOJ left millions of pages withheld from the public while redaction errors put their safety at risk.
The coalition further emphasized the emotional and systemic toll of her tenure:
“We came forward with courage and hope for justice, but under Attorney General Bondi's leadership, we were met with secrecy, mismanagement, and a failure to adequately protect our safety. Every misstep by the Department of Justice has reminded us that the system often protects abusers, not victims.”
As the Department transitions, survivors are demanding a fundamental shift in how the case is handled. They issued a clear mandate for the next administration:
“As new leadership takes the helm at the Department of Justice, we stand ready to work together toward a more rigorous and transparent process moving forward. We are calling for meaningful transparency, accountability for past mistakes, and real protections for those who bravely come forward. Accountability should not depend on power, position, or influence.”
Personal reactions from victims ranged from vindication to cautious hope: Annie Farmer stated that the issue is larger than one person, calling for accountability for those who "enabled Epstein, Maxwell, and others."
Haley Robson expressed intrigue at the timing of the firing but welcomed the loss of Bondi's power, adding, “Thank you, karma.”
Lisa Phillips recalled crying during Bondi’s February 2026 House Judiciary testimony, realizing then that Bondi "doesn't care about us."
While the dismissal has sparked a sense of relief, many survivors, like Jess Michaels, wonder if this is "just another delay tactic" in a decade-long battle for the truth.