Cabinet shake-ups mark a new phase for Trump: From the Politics Desk

From the Politics DeskCabinet shake-ups mark a new phase for Trump: From the Politics DeskPlus, a U.S. fighter jet goes down over Iran. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleTrump fires Pam Bondi as Attorney General02:34Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 3, 2026, 5:00 PM EDTBy The Politics DeskWelcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In today’s edition, Kristen Welker digs into what comes next for the Trump administration after the latest Cabinet shake-up. Plus, we report on what appears to be the first U.S. aircraft that has gone down inside Iran during the war. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.— Adam WollnerCabinet shake-ups mark a new phase for Trump's administrationAnalysis by Kristen WelkerFormer Attorney General Pam Bondi’s firing suggests that President Donald Trump’s administration is entering a new phase. Bondi’s ouster came just a few weeks after the dismissal of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the first Cabinet official to leave during the president’s second term. The relative stability of Trump’s inner circle is a departure from his first term. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon suggested in a recent interview with Semafor that this was by design, dubbing the president’s posture as a “no scalps policy,” saying Trump is not inclined to quickly dismiss officials facing controversies.Bondi and Noem’s firings raise more questions about whether that policy may be shifting — and whether other administration officials could be next. The more immediate question swirling is who will take Bondi’s job as head of the Justice Department. One potential replacement is Todd Blanche, now the acting attorney general, who has serv...