By Pam Bondi is out — and the Justice Department wasted no time making its feelings known.
Within hours of President Donald Trump firing his Attorney General on Wednesday, DOJ staffers removed her official portrait from the department’s walls. One photo, obtained by MS NOW, showed the portrait dumped directly in the trash. It was a swift, symbolic send-off — and it said everything.
Trump Fires Bondi in a Moving Car
The firing itself was blunt. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump told Bondi she was out during their shared ride in the presidential limousine to the Supreme Court.
“I think it’s time,” Trump reportedly said. Bondi asked to stay on through the summer. Trump said no.
She later became emotional when telling friends and colleagues about the exit, according to The New York Times. Bondi, 60, will remain at the department through the end of April before moving to an undisclosed role in the private sector.
DOJ Staff Throw Her Portrait in the Trash
The image of Bondi’s portrait in a trash can spread quickly online. It was not a clerical accident — current and former DOJ officials told MS NOW that it reflected the deep dislike career staffers had for the outgoing Attorney General.
The removal happened fast. Within hours of the firing news breaking Thursday, her portrait was gone from the department’s walls — and, in at least one case, disposed of unceremoniously.
The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment from The Daily Beast.
Pam Bondi’s Controversial Time at the DOJ
Bondi served as Attorney General for 14 months. During that period, the DOJ saw a significant exodus of career staffers who refused to continue working under her leadership.
Many of those who left later spoke out. Former officials publicly accused Bondi and other senior Trump appointees of weaponizing the department for political ends, violating court orders, undermining national security efforts, and rolling back anti-corruption initiatives.
These were not fringe complaints. They came from nonpartisan career employees — the kind of officials who typically serve across multiple administrations regardless of which party holds the White House.
Bondi’s Own Actions Fueled Staff Resentment
Tensions didn’t start with the firing. Early in Trump’s second term, Bondi personally removed portraits of former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Attorney General Merrick Garland from DOJ walls — an act she openly discussed in a Fox News interview.
That move drew sharp internal criticism. But it was another decision that proved more damaging: the demotion of Devin DeBacker, who was serving as acting chief of the DOJ’s National Security Division.
One former national security official who opposed the demotion told MS NOW bluntly: “They better take her picture down.” They did.
What Comes Next for Bondi — and the DOJ
Bondi’s departure follows a pattern. Less than one month earlier, Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Her promotional glamour shots — taken inside DHS facilities — were promptly removed from U.S. Customs and Border Protection headquarters in Washington.
The back-to-back firings of two high-profile cabinet members signal growing instability at the top of Trump’s second-term administration. Both exits were sudden, both were messy, and both left institutional damage in their wake.
For the DOJ, the challenge now is stability. The department has seen months of staff departures, leadership turmoil, and public accusations of politicization. Whoever Trump installs next will inherit a department that is demoralized, understaffed in key divisions, and operating under intense public scrutiny.
Pam Bondi’s exit didn’t just close a chapter at the Justice Department — it exposed how fractured the relationship between political appointees and career officials has become under the current administration.
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