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1 Pam Bondi Out As Attorney General, Todd Blanche To Take Over
President Trump announced yesterday that he is replacing Pam Bondi as attorney general, saying she would be moving to a role in the private sector. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump's personal defense attorney in his criminal cases, will step in as acting attorney general. Sources told "ABC News" that Trump had grown increasingly frustrated with the pace and effectiveness of the DOJ's efforts to go after his political opponents. He was also unhappy with Bondi's handling of documents from the Justice Department's investigation into deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A bipartisan group on the House Oversight Committee had voted to subpoena Bondi over the Epstein files ahead of a scheduled deposition in mid-April. Ranking member Robert Garcia said yesterday that the subpoena still stands, regardless of Bondi's departure.
2 Secretary Of Defense Pete Hegseth Removes Army Chief of Staff
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ousted Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George yesterday, telling him to retire immediately. The Pentagon confirmed the move, with spokesman Sean Parnell saying George was retiring from his post as the Army's 41st chief of staff, effective right away. As to why the move was made, a senior Defense Department official said it was simply "time for a leadership change." George had held the position since 2023, nominated by then-President Biden, and was expected to remain in the role until 2027. Along with George, two other Army officers were removed yesterday. Gen. David Hodne, who led the Army's Transformation and Training Command, and Maj. Gen. William Green, the Army's chief of chaplains, were both let go. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army's vice chief of staff, who previously served as Hegseth's military aide, will serve as acting chief.
3 Artemis II Completes Burn, Leaves Earth Orbit On The Way To The Moon
The Artemis II crew is officially on its way to the moon. The four astronauts, Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen, fired their main engine for nearly six minutes to break out of Earth orbit and reach the speed needed to head toward the moon. The burn was successful, placing them on a free-return path that will carry them around the far side of the moon and back to Earth without any other major rocket firings. If all goes well, they will travel farther from Earth than any humans before them.