Donald Trump’s latest White House appearance was meant to be all about his new plan to take control of Washington, D.C.. Still, Attorney General Pam Bondi’s facial expressions quickly became the unexpected headline.
The president used the press conference to announce that his administration would assume authority over the D.C. Metro Police and deploy the National Guard to combat crime in the nation’s capital. Trump framed the move as necessary to “restore order” in the federal district, home to the U.S. government and thousands of residents.
🚨TRUMP: “Today Pam Bondi will be taking command of the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department.” pic.twitter.com/JtgKAG4Rgk
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Standing to Trump’s left throughout the event, Bondi was front and center, at least on camera. But instead of focusing on the president’s remarks, many viewers found themselves watching her every move, or lack thereof. Social media lit up almost immediately with comments about her vacant stare and unusual facial expressions.
“What’s up with Pam Bondi’s face right now?” one person posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Another compared her to the AI doll in the horror film M3GAN, saying she had the same frozen, eerie look.
Some viewers speculated she was bored or distracted, while others wondered if something else was going on. “Pam Bondi looking like, ‘Why did I get involved in this mess,” one user wrote. Others went further, joking about whether she had taken something to get through the event. “Why does Pam Bondi look stoned?” one comment read. “She seems really uncomfortable and IMO completely out of it,” another added.
The clip of Bondi standing stiffly beside Trump, her eyes occasionally darting around the room but otherwise fixed in an almost statue-like pose, quickly began circulating online. The reactions ranged from lighthearted teasing to sharper criticism.
This is not the first time Bondi’s appearance has sparked conversation. Throwback photos of her from before her time in the Trump administration have previously gone viral, with some claiming she has undergone a noticeable transformation. But Monday’s performance drew fresh attention at a politically sensitive time for both her and the president.
Bondi has been under growing scrutiny in recent weeks as the controversy over Trump’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein shows no signs of fading. Earlier this year, she publicly promised to release Epstein-related files from her desk, including what some believed to be a “client list” of high-profile individuals connected to the disgraced financier. In July, however, she reversed course, saying there was no such list.
The reversal came after reports surfaced that she had privately warned Trump in May that his name appeared in the files multiple times. Not long after that, she advised against making them public. The move has fueled speculation and criticism, particularly among Trump’s supporters who had been expecting a full disclosure.
Against that backdrop, Bondi’s every public appearance is now dissected for clues about her standing in the administration. Monday’s press conference, intended to project strength on law and order, instead gave her critics and meme-makers fresh material.
While Trump’s announcement about seizing control of D.C.’s police force dominated political coverage, it was Bondi’s motionless stance and faraway gaze that dominated the online conversation. For many watching, the policy details faded into the background as they replayed and shared the moment, turning an otherwise routine political presser into yet another internet sideshow.
