BREAKING: Trump FIRES AG Bondi, Gabbard next? — Inside his problem with Women

Summary

---

The Tara Palmeri Show

Episode: BREAKING: Trump FIRES AG Bondi, Gabbard next? — Inside his problem with Women

Date: April 2, 2026
Host: Tara Palmeri

---

Episode Overview

Tara Palmeri reacts in real time to breaking news: President Trump has fired Attorney General Pam Bondi after 14 months, triggering speculation about further shake-ups, particularly targeting women in his administration. Through deep insider knowledge, Tara explores the motivations for these dismissals, connects them to the ongoing Epstein files controversy, and examines the broader trend of powerful women being purged from the Trump White House. The episode also interweaves vivid anecdotes from Tara’s career reporting on Trump and features insight on rumored next exits, including Tulsi Gabbard.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Rapid-Fire Firings: Women First

• Bondi Out, Gabbard Next?
  • Tara breaks the story that Pam Bondi has been sacked as Attorney General (AG), a move already confirmed by multiple sources. (00:35)
  • The firing fits a pattern, as “the ones who are actually being targeted are the women in this administration.” (00:43)
• Recent High-Profile Dismissals:
  • Kristi Noem was fired as DHS Secretary last week, and others like Elise Stefanik lost out on promised promotions.
  • Carrie Lake and Linda McMahon have seen their roles gutted, reduced to overseeing dismantling their own departments. (01:00)
• Tulsi Gabbard’s Precarious Position:
  • Reports swirl that Trump is “complaining” about Gabbard’s Iran nuclear remarks and her insufficient loyalty.
  • “She will be leaving soon. I personally don’t think she deserves the dignity of a resignation but she is either resigning or she will be fired.” (15:16)

2. Trump’s Evolution on Personnel

• From Reluctant to Ruthless:
  • Trump, initially hesitant to fire high-level staff, appears emboldened after successfully removing Kristi Noem:

    “After seeing how easy it was to remove Kristi Noem...he was like, ‘wait, why don’t I just fire everyone now?’ Right. So that is exactly what we are seeing.” (02:21)

• Musical Chairs and Short Tenures:
  • Tara draws parallels to the first Trump administration, noting a return to “musical chairs. Most people did not last very long.” (03:21)
  • Recalls previous short-tenure staff—referencing “how many Scaramucci did that person last?”

3. Pam Bondi’s Tenure and Controversies

• Bondi as “Lap Dog” AG:
  • “She basically acted as the President’s defense attorney. So that’s not, certainly not an Attorney General.” (04:14)
• Handling of Epstein Files:
  • “She completely butchered it, botched it from the very beginning, saying case closed back in July. Clearly it was not case closed.” (04:24)
  • FBI sources reveal “mounds and mounds of videos and photographs” (04:54), and Bondi ignored 2.5 million files, of which only a small fraction have been reviewed.

4. Congressional Hearings and Victims’ Frustration

• Infamous Hearing Clip:

  • [05:18–07:16] Montage of heated congressional exchange:
    • Bondi dodges tough questions on the Epstein case, refuses to apologize directly to victims, and is criticized for redactions that protected the powerful while exposing victims’ names.
    • Notable line from a lawmaker:

      “Trump orders up prosecutions like pizza. And you deliver every time he tells you...” (05:24)

    • Bondi defensively states:

      “Chairman Jordan, I’m not going to get in the gutter with these people.” (06:03)
      “He was...Mr. Chairman, how this works?” (06:41)

• Survivor Neglect & Mishandling of Files:

  • Tara highlights the outrage from Epstein survivors who attempted to meet Bondi but were repeatedly brushed off or canceled on.
  • “What I have been really upset about...is that I have heard from survivors of Jeff Epstein that they have made multiple, multiple attempts at contacting Pam Bondi...meetings scheduled and one of them she canceled and they never actually met with her.” (13:35)
  • Bondi’s redactions in the Epstein files “only seemed to prioritize protecting the powerful and not the victims.” (19:35)

5. Succession Speculation and Internal Politics

• AG Replacement Chatter:
  • Trump met with Lee Zeldin (former NY GOP gubernatorial candidate and lawyer) as a possible Bondi replacement.

    “He’s got some pretty powerful allies there...very close to Donald Trump Jr. as well.” (09:03)

• The Loyalty Litmus Test:
  • Tara underscores that “Pam Bondi has been intensely loyal to President Trump. She has possibly committed crimes by holding back these Epstein files...in violation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.” (08:39)

6. GOP Women’s Leadership and Broader Gender Commentary

• Discrimination Claims:
  • Elise Stefanik’s frustration at losing out on the UN Ambassador role and her sense of sexism within the party:

    “She felt that there was sexism, which I find to be really rich...you’re in the Republican Party...” (15:59)

• Republican Party Gender Gaps:
  • “I don’t think there...I think there’s only one woman in leadership right now in the Republican Party. There were more women in leadership when Kevin McCarthy was Speaker of the House, that is for sure. But that is not a priority for the Republican Party.” (16:34)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tara Palmeri on Trump’s change in approach:

  “He was like, ‘wait, why don’t I just fire everyone now?’ Right. So that is exactly what we are seeing.” (02:21)

• On Bondi’s legacy:

  “She was a lap dog. She basically acted as the President’s defense attorney. So that’s not, certainly not an Attorney General.” (04:14)

• Congressional rebuke to Bondi:

  “Trump orders up prosecutions like pizza. And you deliver every time he tells you…” ([05:24] D)

• Bondi’s evasive response:

  “Chairman Jordan, I’m not going to get in the gutter with these people.” (06:03)

• Tara on survivors’ disappointment:

  “They have botched the files. I mean, she literally exposed their names in these Epstein files. The redactions were disgusting. They were a mess. And they only seemed to prioritize protecting the powerful and not the victims.” (19:35)

• On gendered firings:

  “Ladies are out. I think that is what we have learned from all this. And they are the most loyal.” (15:16)

---

Important Timestamps

• 00:31 — Breaking news: Bondi fired; women being targeted in Trump’s cabinet
• 02:21 — Trump’s new enthusiasm for firing aides after a year of reluctance
• 04:14 — Tara critiques Bondi’s loyalty and botched Epstein investigation
• 05:18–07:16 — Congressional hearing montage; Bondi grilled over Epstein files, victim neglect
• 09:03 — Trump consults Lee Zeldin about stepping into AG role
• 13:35 — Tara describes Epstein survivors’ fruitless attempts to meet with Bondi
• 15:16 — Tulsi Gabbard likely to be forced out next; GOP female leadership woes
• 16:34 — Discussion about Republican women’s lack of leadership
• 19:35 — Frustration over Bondi’s mishandling and redaction of Epstein files

---

Tone and Style

The episode maintains Tara’s trademark blend of deeply-sourced reporting, blunt analysis, and biting wit. Her direct language paints a picture of chaos, patronage, and gender dynamics at the highest levels of power—without platitudes or spin.

---

Summary Takeaway

Tara Palmeri delivers a sharp, detailed account of President Trump’s latest cabinet shake-up, focusing on the ouster of women from top positions, especially Attorney General Pam Bondi amid the ongoing Epstein files scandal. The pattern of firings, mishandled investigations, and the gendered nature of the Trump administration’s internal strife are all placed under unflinching scrutiny—complete with revealing vignettes and source-driven insights for listeners hungry for what’s really going on behind the scenes in Washington.

---

Transcript

[A]

Insurance isn't one size fits all. That's why customers have enjoyed Progressive's Name youe Price Tool for years now. With the Name youm Price Tool, you tell them what you want to pay and they'll show you options that fit your budget. So whether you're picking out your first policy or just looking for something that works better for you and your family, they make it easy to see your options. Visit progressive.com, find a rate that works for you with a name, your Price tool, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law.

[B]

Hey, guys, I know I am like Hassan Piker. I am live all the time. Maybe I will just stay live all day long. So many breaking news, and as you know, this is really in my wheelhouse. President Trump has apparently already informed, this is, according to multiple reports, informed Pam Bondi that she is out as attorney general after 14 months in the job. And I know what you were thinking, and it's what I'm thinking. Do you see the dominoes falling in this administration? An administration where President Trump was refusing to fire people for a very long time. But it's interesting because the ones who are actually being targeted are the women in this administration. So let's just go through the list. Okay. Hey, Jank. We got Jank in the house. We love him. Huge fan. Okay, so let's go through all the women who've been targeted, starting with Kristi Noem. She was fired last week. We had Elise Stefanik thinking that she was going to get the UN Ambassador position, but then instead of firing Mike Waltz. Waltz, the former nsa, over signal Gate, he gave Mike Waltz that job. But Christie just got fired. We know that Carrie Lake barely has a job ever since she gutted the Voice of America. I mean, what is she supposed to do? When your job is to actually gut an administration, then you really have no power and no job. Linda McMahon over at the Department of Education also told it to gut the Department of Education, giving her very little power. Tulsi Gabbard. We've heard there are reports that President Trump has been complaining about her, probably because she said that it would take 10 years for our Iran to get a nuclear bomb. Which directly contradicts what the president said when he said that they're new, that they were six weeks away from bombing us. Right. And now Pam Bondi. And of course, it's about the Epstein files. And also because he believes that she has not gone after his political enemies aggressively enough. He's very annoyed that former FBI Director James Comey and the New York Attorney General Letitia James, that the DOJ lost their cases against those two of his political opponents. Yeah. So as you can see, you know, for the first year or so, President Trump is really reluctant to fire people. But then after seeing how easy it was to remove Kristi Noem as director, sorry, Secretary of Homeland Security, and replace her with Mark Wayne Mullen, he was like, wait, why don't I just fire everyone now? Right. So that is exactly what we are seeing it. I, I wouldn't be surprised if it was more like the first administration and we see more musical chairs after Trump was sort of reluctant for at least a year. Yeah. This is just what you get for working with the Trump administration. I mean, I remember when I was a White House correspondent, I was constantly just looking at my phone trying to figure out who would be fired next. Most people did not last very long. You know, everything was, was obviously marked by Scaramucci. How many Scaramucci that person last for Ryan's prievis didn't last very long. Obviously. Anthony Scaramucci was the shortest serving. I believe he was de Director of Communications. Yeah. So here we are, the ladies are out. And that's not like Pam Bondi was a great Attorney General. Right. I mean, she was a lap dog. She basically acted as the President's defense attorney. So that's not, certainly not an Attorney General. And to me, as someone who has covered the Epstein files, I mean, she completely butchered it, botched it from the very beginning, saying case closed back in July. Clearly it was not case closed. I don't know what she was thinking after saying she had the list on her desk and they were investigating it all. Then she says there are no other co conspirators in, in this, in this massive sex trafficking operation that the FBI said there were a thousand victims. Okay. Her own FBI and my sources inside the FBI before she announced case closed, said they were sitting on mounds and mounds of videos and photographs, which I knew of, which I learned from the victims who were, who actually went in to try to identify their bodies when they were looking at actually prosecuting people in this case. And we know they're still sitting on them. About 2.5 million files. We know that we've only seen 300 gigabytes and that there are as many as 40 terabytes according to the Epstein files, according to FBI agents sending emails to each other about these files. And so Pam's, Pam's been the one in control of all that. And who could ever forget her Disastrous congressional hearing. It was pretty bad. She had to be subpoenaed by Republicans. And let's see. Abby. There she is. Let's hear. Let's take a listen to Pam Case.

[C]

You were wondering, correct, to the best of your knowledge, information and belief, so help you God?

[B]

I do.

[C]

Let the record show that the witnesses answer.

[D]

Trump orders up prosecutions like pizza. And you deliver every time he tells you to go after James Comey, Letitia James, Lisa Cook, and Jerome Powell, the head of the Federal Reserve Board.

[E]

And I am deeply sorry for what any victim. Any victim has been through.

[F]

Will you turn to them now and apologize for what? Your Department of Justice has put them

[E]

through the gutter for her theatrics. I find it.

[C]

How many have you guided?

[E]

Excuse me? I'm going to answer the question.

[C]

Answer my question.

[E]

No, I'm going to answer the question the way I want to answer the question.

[C]

The way I asked it.

[E]

Chairman Jordan, I'm not going to get in the gutter with these people.

[D]

You can let her filibuster all day long, but not on our watch, not on our time. No way. And I told you about that Attorney General before you start.

[E]

You don't tell me.

[D]

Oh, I did tell you. Because we saw what you did in the Senate.

[E]

Lawyer. Not even a lawyer.

[C]

Many will be in order.

[D]

I have several questions for you. Who's responsible? Are you able to track who in your organization made this massive failure and released the victim's names?

[E]

We corrected that. Within 40 minutes, he was already. You're acting like everybody's trying to cover up Wexner's name.

[D]

Reclaiming. Reclaiming my time.

[E]

Answer this question.

[B]

Reclaiming my time.

[E]

He was. Mr. Chairman, how this works?

[F]

Was the President aware of Secretary Lutnick's ties to Epstein when he chose him to lead the Department of. Of Commerce?

[E]

Was he aware Chris Malan was a Border Patrol agent?

[F]

Okay, so I'm going to conclude that the President, in fact mentioned, did know about his ties because he was the next door neighbor.

[E]

Shame on you.

[F]

Oh, for goodness sakes. This is pathetic. I am not asking trick questions here. The American people have a right to know the answers to this. These are senior officials in the Trump administration.

[B]

Guys, that's a lot, right? It's the mashup. It's amazing. Abby, kudos to you for finding that. What I would like to listen to right now is Parker Posey and Pam Bondi. Abby, can you pull that up? If not now, will you tell me when you can pull that up? Because that is my favorite video of all time. You know, when, you know, in Parker pose, he's like, he. Can you get my Laraza, Pam? I mean, it is literally, it is Pam Bondi's. It is Pam Bondi to me. You know, a lot of people have talked about, could Pam Bondi face impeachment when Democrats take back the House, which we assume they will do? Could she be prosecuted? And I think that's a reasonable question right now. I mean, if you're no longer in office, can you be impeached? I'm not a lawyer, and I think a lawyer might be able to answer that question. I'll try to get down to the bottom of it. Some have said that she should be prosecuted, but there is no doubt that she has been intensely loyal to President Trump. She has possibly committed crimes by holding back these Epstein files. I mean, they, they are. It may be in violation of the Epstein files Transparency act by holding back 2.5. Excuse me, million files. Guys, going live is hard sometimes. You got to take a breath. So, you know, this is an impossible position to be in. Any cabinet position working for President Trump is a nearly impossible one, as we know. And I'm not saying I have any sympathy for Pam Bondi at all, don't get me wrong. But, yeah, it's. It is. It is crazy. So this is when it all started. Okay. Apparently, a person close to the White House told Dasha Burns at Politico that when Trump met with EPA boss, that's the Environmental Protection Agency boss. Well, he's not really doing a lot of environmental protection. He's actually unwinding it. Like so many of the other people installed in President Trump's cabinet. They're actually unwinding the laws, deregulating Lee Zeldin, who I've actually interviewed before when I was a. When I was. Yeah, when I was at Politico, it was quite interesting. It was right after he lost the race for, for governor of New York. But he actually came pretty close as a Republican. He is from Long island and. But now he is in the Trump administration. He's got some pretty powerful allies there. And. Yeah, so. And, you know, apparently Trump and Lee Zeldin, they met on Tuesday to discuss last year's California wildfires. As President Trump has said he believed that there should have been sprinklers. Maybe he was right, honestly, that they should have been better at can't. Like, can't. Maintaining the, The. I think that he's. What does he believe that it is that it's leaves that caused it? I mean, who knows. And then he discussed possibly replacing him for replacing Bondi for it, for the AG role. And I'm trying to see is. Is Lee Zeldin a lawyer? I really haven't looked into it. Lee Zeldin, lawyer. Was he a lawyer? Yes. He went to Albany Law School. Okay. And as we know, Pam Bondi was Attorney General in the state of Florida, where the Epstein case originated back in 2004. So, yeah, I'm looking at a story on time about who is Lee Zeldin. I mean, he's got some pretty powerful allies, so I'm not surprised. Powerful allies who are very close to Donald Trump Jr. As well. And like we said, President Trump is really unhappy with her handling of the Epstein files. Obviously, President Trump is extremely exposed in the Epstein files as well. We know that FBI agents were working around the clock over the summer to redact his name, but he has so many thousands of mentions that it was impossible to completely, completely remove his name. And as we know, the he was exposed around that South Carolina. That South Carolina allegation around the woman who claimed that she was raped by both Epstein and Trump in South Carolina, they, of course, deny it, but, yeah, Bondi was confirmed by a 54 to 46 vote last February. That was after Matt Gaetz had to withdraw. Withdraw from consideration amid scrutiny of allegations of sexual misconduct actually involving a minor.

[E]

So.

[B]

So she actually. She told lawmakers at the time that she would not target people based on their politics, citing criminal cases against Trump. Here we are. This is. Yeah. Okay. We have a Parky Parker Posey video just to break it up. Come on, Abby. Let her rip.

[G]

Emoji moment from Mark, who writes, I just want to thank you for making GLP1s affordable. What would have been over $1,000 a month is just $99 a month with Mochi. Money shouldn't be a barrier to healthy weight. Three months in, and I have smaller jeans and a bigger wallet. You're the best. Thanks, Mark. I'm Mayra Amit, founder of Mochi Health. To find your mochi moment, visit joinmochi.com

[B]

Mark, is a mochi member compensated for his story. Part? Yeah.

[E]

The dow is over 50,000 right now, the S P at almost 7,000, and the NASDAQ smashing records. Americans, 401ks and retirement savings are booming.

[B]

I don't even have my Lorazepam. I'm gonna have to drink myself to sleep.

[C]

All right, welcome, everybody. Today we're going to be talking.

[B]

Okay. Yeah, I just. I love Parker Posey. I think she's Amazing. And I think that they sound exactly alike. And once I got that in my head, I will never, ever, ever hear Pam Bondi the same way. Look at Pam Bondi the same way. Makes me want Lorazepam, actually. So Laura Loomer is out there saying she predicted this according to Jacob Taylor. I'm sure she probably heard about it directly from President Trump or planted the idea in Trump's ear. Let's be honest here. Now, there was one thing that really, I mean, we're going back to that hearing and that, that Pam Bonds knee was asked about Jeffrey Epstein and she disgustingly responded that the dow was at 50,000 points, right. And the survivors were all standing behind her, her back to them. She never turned around and faced them. Instead she said she didn't want to get in the gutter. Disgusting. I know. And what I have been really upset about this entire time is that I have heard from survivors of Jeff Yepstein that they have made multiple, multiple attempts at, at contacting Pam Bondi, that they have wanted to meet with her, they wanted to go to the Department of Justice and that there were meetings scheduled and one of them she canceled and they never actually met with her. And that is really, really upsetting. We have Laura Loomer on the screen. I told you. Tulsi Gabbard will leave and then there is going to be a shake up at the doj Office of Director of National Intelligence and Attorney General be changing leadership soon. Sources told me ODNI is first then ag. Tulsi had a meeting with President. As I previously reported, she was condemned for not defending him during her Senate hearing and it was determined that she needs to leave. She will be leaving soon. I personally don't think she deserves a dignity of a resignation, but she is either resigning or she will be fired. Guys, ladies are out. I think that is what we have learned from all this. And they are the most loyal. So yeah, I actually think it would probably be a good thing for Tulsi Gabbard as an isolationist to leave at this point. I don't know what Pam Bondi does though, because she has been so loyal and she has no brand outside of Donald Trump. And you know, it's interesting because Elise Stefanik, when she left Congress and she was furious, right? I mean she didn't, she didn't get the United nations ambassador position that she was promised. It was given to Mike Waltz when President Trump wanted to play some musical chairs and she was furious at Mike Johnson. She felt that there was sexism, which I find to be really rich. Okay. You're in the Republican Party and, you know, this is a party that basically just voted to. Not voted to overturn Roe vs Wade, but has never supported a lot of, you know, feminist rights. And then here you are wondering why you are. You're being discriminated against, why women aren't getting leadership positions in Congress. I mean, I don't think there. I think there's only one woman in leadership right now in the Republican Party. There were more women in leadership when Kevin McCarthy was Speaker of the House, that is for sure. But that is not a priority for the Republican Party. And then they complain about it. And Elise Stefanik has a book coming out, so I'm sure she's holding on to all of that and will be on a tour. But who knows? She probably also knew that her time was coming to an end anyway and that she would not actually win in the New York governor's race. Trump did not endorse her initially, and she probably saw the writing on the wall. So, yeah, this is. This is a. This is an interesting time. So, yeah, Pam Bondi never met with the survivors. Really didn't do anything. Right. Botched it in every which way completely, as Susie Weil says, whiffed it. She lied, said the. The list was on her desk, then said there was no Epstein. No Epstein list. There was no Epstein list. Epstein wasn't holding on to a list of his friends that he had compromat on. Okay? He just knew he had video. I knew that. I had been telling people that all along. She was delusional. She handed out those binders to the influencers. She was like, these are the binders of classified binders. They were all, you know, Virginia's sealed documents that were not sealed. They were already out there. But they were. They were Virginia's sealed court documents, not the sealed ones. Excuse me. Public court documents. So, yeah, this is where we are. Pam Bondi informed. According to multiple reports, she's out. Not long for this world. Guys, this was great. I think we Talked for like 17 minutes. So anyone have any. Does anyone have any questions before I cut out? Get some air, a little water? Yeah. FBI agents scour Jeffrey Epstein files. Neglect regular work. Why am I not surprised, huh? All right, guys, thank you for all of your time. And which mic are you using now? I don't really know the name of it, to be honest. I met a friends. So will she still have to testify on the 14th? Very good question. Which also kind of goes back to my question of can she be impeached after she's left office. Can she be prosecuted? What will Democrats do to Pam Bondi? I don't know. Yeah. All right, thanks guys for tuning in. You're the best. Let's keep this community going. I'll be on Ms. Now actually at 3:15 on Katie Tur show to talk about this with Shelby Talbot, who's broken a lot of the news and I think David French from the New York Times. So we'll break down all of this and more. I'm going to check in with some of the survivors too. I know they were really disappointed when Pambondi canceled on them. So I'm sure they're happy to hear it. They have botched the files. I mean, she literally exposed their names in these Epstein files. The redactions were disgusting. They were a mess. And they only seemed to prioritize protecting the powerful and not the victims. All right, see you guys soon. As always, hit that subscribe button. If you're watching me on the Red Letter, please subscribe. Consider becoming a paid subscriber. It's how you get my exclusives and support my independent journalism. If you're watching me on YouTube, head to tarapaulmary.com and sign up for the Red Letter and you can get my exclusive reporting straight to your inbox and support my independent journalism. And guys, thanks for hopping on. We've got a great audience right now and I'm. I'll be back again soon. Oh yeah, I have another live tomorrow. I'm gonna talk about the manosphere since we are and reflect on Women's History Month. Last month, my friend Lauren Leader. Yeah, so tune in tomorrow for that. I want to just check the time so I get you guys all ready to go. Set your calendar at noon. Okay, thanks. Bye.

[H]

This podcast is supported by Midi Health. Are you in midlife, feeling dismissed, unheard, or just plain tired of the old healthcare system? You're not alone. In fact, even today, 75% of women seeking care for menopause and perimenopause issues are left entirely untreated. But it's time for a change. It's time for miti. Midi's not just a healthcare provider. It's a women's telehealth clinic founded and supported by world class leaders in women's health. Their clinicians provide one on one face to face consultations where they truly listen to your unique needs. They offer a full range of holistic, data driven solutions. That isn't one size fits all care. This is care uniquely tailored for you at midi you will find that their mission is clear to help all women thrive in midlife, giving them access to the health care they deserve. Because they believe midlife isn't the middle at all. It is the beginning of your second act. Ready to feel your best and write your second act script? Visit joinmidi.com today to book your personalized insurance covered virtual visit. That's joinmitty.com MIDI the Care Women deserve.