Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. Attorney General Pam Bondi is out at the Justice Department. President Trump made the announcement on social media. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports Deputy Todd Blanche will serve in the acting role for now.

In a post on social media, President Trump calls Pam Bondi a great American patriot and loyal friend and says she'll transition to a job in the private sector.

Trump has blamed Bondi for mishandling law enforcement files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein,

and he's demanded the Justice Department do more to go after his perceived political enemies.

Bondi presided over a huge exodus at the DOJ.

The group Justice Connection, which supports current and former justice workers, says

DOJ's independence, integrity, and workforce have degraded more under her leadership than any other time during the department's history.

Todd Blanche, one of Trump's former personal lawyers,

will run the Justice Department on an acting basis. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

In three weeks, shareholders of Warner Brothers Discovery will vote on whether to accept a

$110 billion acquisition deal from media mogul David Ellison. As NPR's Mandolito-Barko reports, the merger still needs to get

passed federal and international regulators and faces challenges in California. California Attorney

General Rob Bonta says this of the proposed consolidation. It's not a done deal. Bonta told NPR he's

conducting an antitrust review because he doesn't trust the Department of Justice to do a fair investigation.

Banta points to the close relationship the DOJ and the Ellison family have with President Trump.

Maybe they will. Be fair, be objective, be vigorous, do the job the federal government has long done, but I'm not holding my breath.

Meanwhile, some working in the film and TV industry are campaigning to block the merger.

Actress Jane Fonda is voicing her concerns on social media.

The idea of the whole entertainment industry being run by one company, that doesn't seem good.

With Paramount Pictures Skydance, David Ellison already controls CBS.

By merging with Warner Bros. Studios, he'd also have HBO.

Mandalay-Dal Barco, NPR News.

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