Attorney General Pam Bondi’s chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, is now reportedly leaving his post to return to Florida and spend more time with his family, an official confirmed.
His departure marks the exit of a central player in the Justice Department, one who now says he plans to continue the Trump administration’s fight by exposing “the left-wing groups responsible for violence across America.”
In an interview with Axios, Mizelle said his next chapter would build directly on the administration’s efforts to safeguard the country against political extremism. A longtime “key ally” of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, Mizelle was widely viewed as an influential figure in shaping the Department’s direction.
Bondi praised her departing aide in a statement to Axios. “[Mizelle] served this Department with professionalism, sound judgment, and dedication,” she said. “As Chief of Staff, Chad played a central role in coordinating the Department’s operations, ensuring its resources were aligned and our efforts were carried out with integrity and efficiency. His counsel strengthened our work to advance justice and protect the American people. I am grateful for his service and friendship.”
During his tenure, Mizelle oversaw both the Civil Division and the Civil Rights Division, according to Axios. His work, colleagues said, left a clear imprint. “Chad’s tenure at the Department has been marked by exceptional leadership and dedication to the Department,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche noted. “He provided Attorney General Bondi and all of us with outstanding counsel, and his steady hand helped guide our work. Chad played a key role in advancing the President’s America First agenda here at the Department, and his efforts strengthened our mission to protect the American people.”
Mizelle’s exit comes at a time of strain between Bondi and elements of the Republican base. The attorney general has drawn criticism in recent months for the Justice Department’s handling of politically charged issues.
In particular, a quietly released DOJ memo stating there was no Epstein client list, and that the investigation had been closed, fueled backlash among supporters of President Donald Trump.
More recently, Bondi triggered a storm of controversy with her response to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In an appearance on the Katie Miller podcast, Bondi declared, “There’s free speech and then there’s hate speech, and there is no place, especially now, especially after what happened to Charlie, in our society … We will absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech.”
The comments alarmed many conservatives who saw the language as blurring the line between constitutionally protected expression and criminal threats.
Bondi later attempted to clarify, saying the Department would prosecute only speech “that crosses the line into threats of violence.”
Still, the episode underscored the challenges facing Bondi, who must balance her loyalty to the administration with the concerns of a Republican base wary of any encroachment on free speech.
Against this backdrop, Mizelle’s decision to leave may reflect more than a personal choice. By promising to “expose” violent left-wing organizations outside of government, Mizelle appears determined to carry the America First agenda forward — even as his former boss navigates growing tension with the movement’s core supporters.
[READ MORE: California Gunman Who Targeted Trump Allies Left Note Threatening Attorney General, FBI Officials]
