From Fox News: Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., over President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago on Tuesday.
The exchange came during Bondi’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, with Durbin pressing Bondi to justify the deployment. Bondi refused to detail her communications with the White House regarding the move, but she said the troops are there to protect the residents of Chicago.
“Why do you want to keep this secret?” Durbin asked. “The American people don’t know the rationale behind the deployment of National Guard troops in my state. The word is, and I think it’s been confirmed by the White House, they are going to transfer Texas National Guard units to the state of Illinois. What’s the rationale for that?”
“As you shut down the government — you voted to shut down the government, and you’re sitting here — our law enforcement officers aren’t being paid. They’re out there working to protect you. I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump. And currently, the National Guard are on the way to Chicago. If you’re not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will,” Bondi responded.
Durbin sneered, “I’ve been on this committee for more than 20 years. That’s the kind of testimony you’d expect from this administration.”
.@AGPamBondi to @SenatorDurbin: “You voted to shut down the government and you’re sitting here. Our law enforcement officers aren’t being paid. They’re out there working to protect you. I wish you would love Chicago as much as you hate President Trump.” pic.twitter.com/zzUJHwJGSD
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 7, 2025
Bondi wasn’t finished with Durbin, as she told him, “The National Guard is on the way as we speak! So is Director Patel and Deputy AG Todd Blanche! You’re sitting here grilling me, and they are on their way to Chicago, to keep YOUR state safe.”
“It’s my job to grill you,” Durbin defiantly retorted.
AG Pam Bondi to Senator Durbin (D-IL) – “The National Guard is on the way as we speak! So is Director Patel and Deputy AG Todd Blanche! You’re sitting here grilling me, and they are on their way to Chicago, to keep YOUR state safe.”pic.twitter.com/uPSbwgbwRf
— Dennis Michael Lynch (@TrustDML) October 7, 2025
READ MORE from Fox News.
Bondi also ripped into Durbin over HIS refusal to release the Epstein files earlier.
Prominent X user Vigilant Fox reported on the exchange:
Sen. Dick Durbin (D) starts smiling uncomfortably as Pam Bondi reminds him how he refused to release the Epstein flight logs in 2023 and 2024.
By the end, Durbin claimed ignorance, insisting he didn’t even know who Democrat mega-donor Reid Hoffman was.
BONDI: “I find it very interesting that you refused repeated Republican requests to release the Epstein flight logs in 2023 and 2024. You fought that. Did you take money from Reid Hoffman campaign donations, who was a huge Epstein friend? Why did you fight for years? Why did you fight to not disclose the flight logs, Senator Durbin?”
DURBIN: “I can tell you I did not refuse. One of the senators here wished to produce those logs, and I asked her to put it in writing, and she never did.”
BONDI: “Yeah, I think Senator Blackburn would quarrel with you on that.”
DURBIN: “I will quarrel with you as to Reid, somebody that you mentioned I never heard of—”
With force, Bondi threw the name back in his face: “REID HOFFMAN!”
Sen. Dick Durbin (D) starts smiling uncomfortably as Pam Bondi reminds him how he refused to release the Epstein flight logs in 2023 and 2024.
By the end, Durbin claimed ignorance, insisting he didn’t even know who Democrat mega-donor Reid Hoffman was.
BONDI: “I find it very… pic.twitter.com/iWr8IaCjLx
— Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) October 7, 2025
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