Ryan Lucas

In his social media post announcing this, Trump offered a couple of kind words for Bondi.

He said she had done a tremendous job overseeing what he called a massive crackdown on crime.

He said, quote, we love Pam.

And he said she'll be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector.

Those are his exact words.

He didn't say what that would be, only that it would be announced later.

And he also said that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch is going to step in as acting attorney general.

In a post online, Trump called Bondi a great American patriot and loyal friend who oversaw what he called a massive crackdown on crime.

But Bondi had come under bipartisan criticism for handling of the files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

She's also been pressed by Trump to aggressively go after the president's perceived political enemies.

And under Bondi's leadership, the Justice Department has investigated and even prosecuted some of Trump's critics.

But those cases have foundered in court or before grand juries.

Now, Bondi is out, and Trump says Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch, a former personal lawyer for Trump,

will take over leading the department for now on an acting basis.

Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

Traditionally, the Justice Department has been independent to a degree from the White House.

That's particularly true when it comes to investigations.

And that's to try to insulate those from partisan politics.

Bondi tossed that independence out the window.

The department has targeted the president's perceived enemies.