What a US attorney general actually does – a law professor spells it out

The combined political and legal roles and responsibilities of the US attorney general can create conflicts. Some attorneys general yielded to political pressure from the president – many did not.

By: Jennifer Selin, Arizona State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 3, 2026

Words: 1,293

Last Updated: 3 months, 4 weeks ago

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By Jennifer Selin, Arizona State University

President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 2, 2026, only 14 months after she was sworn into office, making her time in the role the shortest in 60 years.

While much recent attention has focused on Trump’s decision to fire Bondi, there has been less attention on what the attorney general actually does, or what happens when the attorney general gets fired.

The …

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