What Does the Attorney General Do? Folks Want to Know After Pam Bondi's Firing

Now that President Donald Trump has fired Pam Bondi, folks want to know what the U.S. Attorney General actually does. The former attorney general was sworn in as the 87th Attorney General of the United States on Feb. 5, 2025. The ex-AG was terminated on April 2, 2026, according to a post on Truth Social by the twice-impeached president.

"Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year," he wrote.

"Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900," he added. "... Our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

So, what does an Attorney General do?

According to the Department of Justice, the job of a U.S. Attorney General is to represent the country in legal matters, provide options and advice to the president, as well as government executive department heads. The role also supervises and directs the administration and operation of the Department of Justice.

The Office of the Attorney General was created with the Judiciary Act of 1789. The AG heads the Department of Justice and is also the chief law enforcement officer of the Federal Government.

"The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the President and to the heads of the executive departments of the Government when so requested," reads the DOJ website. "In matters of exceptional gravity or importance the Attorney General appears in person before the Supreme Court."

Duties of the U.S. Attorney General are to represent the country in legal matters, supervise and direct the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Office of Justice Programs.

The AG also makes recommendations to the president regarding federal judicial positions, appointments, and other positions within the Department, such as U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals. The AG also represents the government in the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as in foreign and domestic courts.

According to NBC News, Pam Bondi was fired because the president had gotten "more and more frustrated” with the former AG and felt that she had not “executed on his vision” properly.

Pam said on X after her termination, in part, "I remain eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again."

Despite the two playing nice on social media, sources claimed that Trump and the former AG had a heated argument at the White House the week before she was fired.