Sexual abuse survivors of Jeffrey Epstein celebrated President Donald Trump’s dismissal of Attorney General Pam Bondi Thursday, even as they worried about who might replace her.
Jess Michaels, a survivor of the convicted sex trafficker, told The Independent that she had two immediate reactions to Bondi’s dismissal.
“My instant reaction is good riddance and very glad that she was fired,” Michaels said. “My second reaction is, is this just another delay tactic?”
Bondi came under sharp criticism last year after she had initially said that she had files on Epstein friends and associates ready to be made public.
“It’s sitting on my desk right now to review,” she said at the time. But months later, the Department of Justice and the FBI released a two-page memo saying that the sex offender — who killed himself in a federal jail in New York City — had no “client list.”
“That was the reason why we showed up in September,” Lisa Phillips told The Independent. “We believed her, you know, we were waiting for her to do that, to do the right thing by us, and she didn't.”
That prompted survivors to come to Capitol Hill to push for the release of those so-called Epstein files. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) received enough signatures for a discharge petition to force a vote on the legislation. But even though the law mandated that the files be released by Dec. 19, 2025, the full files have not been fully released.
“You have to remember, we're over 100 days past the deadline for of Dec. 19,” Michaels said but wondered, “Just firing Pam Bondi, is it performative?”
Haley Robson, another survivor of Epstein who publicly disavowed her previous support for Trump and called for the president’s impeachment, also celebrated Bondi’s sacking.
“I never thought I would see this day, but I'm a little intrigued on why he is choosing now to fire her when she has done so many things in the past, like six months to a year that have been deserving of resignation,” Robson told The Independent.
In a bipartisan move, the House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Bondi to testify later this month. She is required to appear for a deposition on April 14.
But Robson said that she expected Bondi to repeat her old behaviors.
“I don't think that she ever intended to be honest or to share any information,” Robson said of Bondi.
“So it wouldn't be anything new for her to do, but just the fact that she's no longer in her position of power because she has abused that power,” she said. “It’s quite, you know what — thank you, karma.”
Bondi also received harsh criticism when she testified before the House Judiciary Committee in February, when Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) asked which survivors of Epstein’s abuse had not been able to meet with Bondi. When all of them raised their hands, Bondi refused to even turn around in her seat to acknowledge them.
“It was like, we were shaking,” Phillips said. “I was crying, because that was a moment when I realized, ‘oh, this woman doesn't care about us, and we're not getting justice through her.’”
Lara Blume McGee, a survivor who sat in during Bondi's testimony in February, said that her husband said that she caused Bondi to be fired. But she said she wanted accountability for the men responsible.
"All the women are paying the price for what these men have done," she told The Independent.
McGee said she was shocked at the fact Bondi did not acknowledge them in the hearing.
"I wanted her to feel my stare, and I was not going to look away, because this is a woman," she said. “No, what happened was not her fault, but to acknowledge us and say, 'sisters, ladies, I'm sorry for what happened to you,' that's all, that's it.”
The president said in his announcement that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, like Bondi a former personal attorney of Trump’s, would serve as interim attorney general. In August, Blanche met and interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former partner, facilitator and co-conspirator in abuse of young girls.
Phillips said she did not know that Blanche would take Bondi’s place when The Independent informed her, but worried he would not change course.
“But Todd Blanche isn’t going to be any better,” Phillips said. “I hope that Tod Blanche takes a different stand. I hope he's actually looked the files now, and he takes a different stand for survivors and for the American people.”
McGee also pointed how Homeland Security Kristi Noem is the only other Trump Cabinet official who was fired.
"Noem, Bondi, even Ghislaine–and Ghislaine recruited me, so she's where she belongs–but it's all of the women that are in trouble, and they're having to do the perp walk. They're having the embarrassment."
Bondi’s permanent replacement will need to go through a confirmation hearing through the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Senate passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act by unanimous consent in November and any nominee will likely face questions about the files.
McGee said that Bondi was loyal to Trump, but she paid the price.
"But look what has happened to her," McGee said, adding that, "She's taking the fall."
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