Columnist Condemns Bondi's 'Repellent Circus' at Congressional Hearing

New York Times columnist Frank Bruni laments Attorney General Pam Bondi's 'practiced contempt' toward lawmakers during House Judiciary Committee testimony.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Attorney General Pam Bondi's combative and insulting performance during a recent congressional hearing has drawn widespread criticism, including from New York Times columnist Frank Bruni. Bruni lamented Bondi's 'practiced contempt' and 'poison'-filled voice as she 'spat those put-downs' at lawmakers who dared to challenge her, saying her demeanor exemplifies the defining trait of Trump's second administration.

Why it matters

Bruni argues that Bondi and other Trump allies have turned contempt into a 'weapon of choice' to evade responsibility, rejecting the 'delicate art of persuasion' in favor of 'the brute force of condemnation.' This approach, he says, is a far cry from MAGA's initial appeal as a rejection of perceived condescension from Democratic elites.

The details

Bondi gave a similar performance of 'nasty exchanges' and 'loathsome' treatment of her interrogators during a Senate panel hearing in October. Bruni notes that Bondi came into the recent House hearing 'as a joke, a disgrace,' with her department facing various legal setbacks, yet she 'opted for contempt' rather than humility.

  • Bondi testified before a Senate panel in October 2025.
  • Bondi testified before the House Judiciary Committee in February 2026.

The players

Pam Bondi

The current Attorney General of the United States, appointed by President Donald Trump.

Frank Bruni

A veteran columnist for The New York Times who has been critical of the Trump administration and its allies.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, whose second administration Bruni says is defined by the use of contempt as a 'weapon of choice.'

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's not Bondi's script that matters most. It's her voice, and the attorney general got the tone of it — the poison in it — just right when she spat those put-downs at those men during her, um, testimony before a House panel last week. She didn't merely ooze contempt. She gushed it, so that all she communicated during more than four hours of nasty exchanges was how loathsome she found her interrogators. Which was obviously her goal. Her mission.”

— Frank Bruni, Columnist (The New York Times)

“This crew — Bondi, Stephen Miller, JD Vance, President Trump himself — don't want to win opponents' favor. They don't even want to win the argument. Why sweat the delicate art of persuasion when you can use the brute force of condemnation? Comity and conciliation are a slog. They're for suckers. Contempt is victors' ready, heady prerogative.”

— Frank Bruni, Columnist (The New York Times)

The takeaway

Bruni's commentary suggests that Bondi and other Trump allies have embraced a combative and contemptuous approach, eschewing persuasion and compromise in favor of 'the brute force of condemnation.' This reflects a concerning shift away from the democratic norms of civil discourse and respect for opposing views.