Trump likely to replace Bondi as attorney general, but no final decision yet

Washington — President Trump is earnestly considering replacing Pam Bondi arsenic lawyer wide due to the fact that of dissatisfaction with however aggressively the section has pursued immoderate of his priorities, sources acquainted with the substance told CBS News. 

White House officials person discussed respective possibilities arsenic options for lawyer general, but Lee Zeldin, the Senate-confirmed head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is the apt replacement, sources said Thursday.

Mr. Trump met with Zeldin connected Tuesday. 

The president is fond of Bondi, and expresses idiosyncratic affection for her successful backstage conversations, aggregate sources said earlier this week. He has besides agelong praised her publically and is apt to connection her different presumption successful the administration.

Nothing was last arsenic of Thursday. 

"Attorney General Pam Bondi is simply a fantastic idiosyncratic and she is doing a bully job," Mr. Trump said successful a connection to CBS News.

During Bondi's tenure, the section has pursued a wide assortment of transgression investigations into Mr. Trump's perceived governmental opponents, but astir of the cases to day person not proven successful. Mr. Trump is frustrated determination haven't been much indictments and arrests, sources said.

Bondi, who has defended Mr. Trump arsenic a backstage lawyer and arsenic the nation's apical instrumentality enforcement official, is viewed arsenic a loyal governmental state to the president. She was portion of his ineligible squad during his archetypal impeachment. 

The Justice Department has seen sweeping changes successful the twelvemonth since Bondi was confirmed, from the shuttering of aggregate offices to the wide exodus of thousands of national lawyers who resigned, took buyouts oregon were fired.

Most employees who were fired worked connected issues that were disfavored by Mr. Trump and his allies — including prosecutors and FBI agents who were involved successful probes into Mr. Trump implicit his retention of classified records and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Sara Cook contributed to this report.