The removal of former US Attorney General Pam Bondi has drawn attention to a pattern seen during the administration of Donald Trump: top officials who were once trusted allies later exiting their roles after disagreements, controversies, or internal tensions.
From Cabinet members to senior advisers, several high-profile figures experienced abrupt dismissal.
Here’s a look at 10 such cases:
- Pam Bondi was recently fired amid scrutiny over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
- James Comey was dismissed in 2017 during the Russia interference investigation.
- Rex Tillerson, a former ExxonMobil CEO, was initially seen as a stabilising figure, but policy differences led to his firing via tweet in 2018.
- Jeff Sessions, an early Trump ally, faced backlash after withholding himself from the Russia probe.
- John Bolton clashed with Trump on foreign policy issues and was later said to have resigned.
- Anthony Scaramucci served for just about 10 days before being removed after controversial remarks in a media interview.
- Steve Bannon was a key figure in Trump’s early strategy, but was ousted in 2017 after internal clashes.
- Mark Esper was fired shortly after the 2020 election due to tensions over the handling of protests and the possible use of military forces.
- Kirstjen Nielsen oversaw controversial immigration policies and was forced out in 2019 amid disagreements over border enforcement.
- Reince Priebus served as Trump’s first Chief of Staff, but was removed amid reports of internal White House turmoil.
