In today’s newsletter: Trump’s former personal attorney Todd Blanche is the new acting attorney general. How a group of influencers realized they were all being targeted by the same thief with an eye for high-end furniture. And why healthcare costs are skyrocketing.
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Here’s what to know today.
Trump fires Pam Bondi and names Todd Blanche to temporarily lead the Justice Department
Attorney General Pam Bondi is leaving her position, President Donald Trump announced, amid reports that he was frustrated with her handling of some of his key priorities. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will take over as the acting attorney general, Trump said.
“We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. But a senior administration official and a source familiar with the matter said Bondi was fired. Find out what Bondi had to say about her departure.
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Trump had grown “more and more frustrated” with Bondi in recent days, a person familiar with deliberations said, adding that he doesn’t think she has “executed on his vision” in the way that he wants. Under her leadership, the Justice Department has struggled to bring successful cases against Trump’s political enemies, with the president himself often complicating the cases through his public statements.
Blanche, meanwhile, has attributes that appeal to Trump. According to a person close to the White House, Blanche projects confidence, commands broad respect, has an understanding of “the mission at hand” and is a skilled public communicator.
Blanche most recently served for more than a year as deputy attorney general. He personally interviewed late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, after some of Trump’s supporters accused the DOJ of a cover-up in the case. He also took the lead on the department’s release of its Epstein files. Before that, Blanche was Trump’s personal attorney.
Here’s what else to know about Blanche’s career.
More politics news:
- Trump said he would soon sign an order to pay all DHS employees amid the department’s shutdown.
- Trump does not have to turn over his presidential records to the National Archives at the end of his administration, the DOJ said.
Hegseth forces out Army’s top official and has intervened in military promotions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ousted Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, the Army’s top officer, despite him being expected to serve until the end of next summer, sources said. Instead, Hegseth, who has long eyed removing George, asked him to retire effective immediately. More on George’s sudden retirement.
Hegseth has also taken steps to block or delay promotions for more than a dozen Black and female senior officers across all four branches of the military, according to nine U.S. officials familiar with the process. The people removed from promotion lists had no open investigations or allegations. Hegseth’s actions have raised concerns that he may be targeting the officers because of race, gender or their perceived affiliation with the Biden administration.
The defense secretary has previously criticized DEI initiatives adopted by the Biden administration and publicly accused the military of awarding promotions out of diversity.
How Hegseth’s intervention is damaging trust within officer corps.
As Trump rails against NATO, secretary general heads to D.C.
NATO’s secretary general Mark Rutte is heading to the White House next week — a visit that both parties said was planned long in advance but comes as President Trump lashes out over European allies’ refusal to join the war with Iran.
Rutte has often sought to tamp down Trump’s long-simmering ire toward the trans-Atlantic alliance, and his practice of refusing to criticize the U.S. has angered some of his European counterparts. Trump’s main issue right now is NATO members’ refusal to show “courage” and lead the fight in clearing the Strait of Hormuz so oil-bearing ships can once again safely pass.
Trump has long had it out for NATO, having declared it obsolete during his first term as he pushed “America First” policies. During his second term, he has gone much further, like saying he might use military force to take Greenland (though he later walked back those comments). While Trump can’t unilaterally withdraw the U.S. from NATO, he could take steps to diminish the alliance and weaken it as a deterrence, particularly against potential threats from Russia.
More on the strained U.S.-NATO relationship.
Inside the mind-boggling crime spree of L.A.’s ‘most tasteful’ burglar
When influencer Victoria Paris posted on TikTok about a burglary at her home in 2024, the video garnered over 1 million views. That wasn’t out of the ordinary. But what was unusual was the kind of information that began to flow in from her audience. Eventually, she had a list of other people who believed they had been victimized by the same person. It wasn’t just jewelry and handbags the burglar was stealing, she was told. The thief targeted high-end midcentury modern furniture — some pieces so rare they cost as much as luxury cars.
Victoria came to realize that she was one of more than half a dozen tastemakers who were convinced they had been hit by the same man. Her TikTok videos brought them all together. They traded notes, shared stories and strategized over how to make him pay for his actions.
Despite their best efforts, they still haven’t gotten very far in figuring out why this enigmatic bandit with impeccable taste was targeting them in the first place. Or what he was ultimately after.
NBC News spoke to Victoria and other business owners who banded together and tried to take him down. Read the full story here.
Read All About It
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ March job report is expected to show the U.S. labor market remained relatively stable, but experts say it won’t capture the full brunt of the Iran war.
- What happened on Day 2 of the Artemis II mission? Toilet plumbing problems, email glitches and issues phoning home. More importantly, the crew completed a critical engine burn.
- A federal judge dismissed most claims in Blake Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against her “It Ends With Us” director and co-star, Justin Baldoni.
- Police body camera video taken after Tiger Woods’ rollover crash shows the golfer saying he had just gotten off the phone with “the president.”
- To reach the Final Four, Illinois needed to think outside the box. And the country.
Staff Pick: After an inquiry from NBC News, a hospital erases thousands in charges
Randy Slaughter spent three days at his local hospital being treated for severe abdominal pain. When he got home, the financial anguish began.
As part of our NBC News series “Unaffordable America,” I wanted to examine why healthcare costs keep skyrocketing, a key reason Americans can’t make ends meet today. Hoping our report might help patients protect themselves from financial ruin, I focused on Slaughter, who was still paying off his hospital bill two years after his treatment. He had asked the hospital for financial assistance but was turned down. After NBC News raised questions, however, it erased his remaining bill and provided him with an additional refund.
In spite of this great outcome, I was dismayed by what I learned from this story. For starters, even though federal law requires hospitals to list their prices publicly, fathoming these files is almost impossible. And while many hospitals are required to offer financial assistance programs, they may not be eager to help patients gain access to them. Another astounding fact: Hospital bills vary wildly depending on where you live.
My biggest takeaways from this report: ask firmly about financial assistance programs and question your charges. AI tools can also help you spot red flags in your bills. — Gretchen Morgenson, senior financial reporter, NBC News Investigations
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
If you’re tight on space, the right organizational hacks can make a world of difference. We talked to experts to learn how to keep your closets clean and tidy. Plus, our editors found the best vacuum storage bags for off-season clothes and the best bathroom accessories that’ll make your space feel like a spa — no reno required.
Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.
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