Trump says Attorney General Pam Bondi will step down--China

WASHINGTON, April 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday on social media that Attorney General Pam Bondi will step down from her position and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will serve as acting attorney general.

"Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "She will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future."

Trump's latest statement came shortly after multiple U.S. media outlets reported that the president had fired Bondi.

The New York Times first reported on Wednesday that Trump had discussed firing Bondi in recent days as he grew frustrated with her leadership at the Justice Department and her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Earlier on Thursday, the paper cited a person familiar with the decision as saying that Trump fired Bondi.

In recent days, Trump had talked to allies about the possibility of firing Bondi, and he talked with her personally on Wednesday about the possibility that it would happen, CNN cited sources as saying in a Thursday report.

Trump has been frustrated with Bondi on multiple fronts, the report noted, adding that in particular, he is upset over her handling of the Epstein files and he has also fumed that she has not investigated or prosecuted enough of his political opponents.

Bondi's exit would mark the second cabinet-level firing since the start of Trump's second term.

In March, Trump removed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid growing bipartisan criticism of her leadership.