Fox News’s Kennedy unloaded on Attorney General Pam Bondi during a segment this week, comparing her to “a shrieking Karen” over her combative media appearances.
And Kennedy is no liberal. The co-host of “The Five” didn’t hold back when discussing Bondi’s recent press conferences, where the AG has been fielding questions about the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation campaigns and controversial legal maneuvers.
Kennedy’s criticism came as Bondi continues to serve as the administration’s attack dog, defending everything from the imprisonment of migrants at Guantanamo Bay to the targeting of law firms that previously opposed Trump.
The “Karen” comparison is particularly pointed—it’s internet shorthand for an entitled white woman demanding to speak to the manager, and Kennedy deploying it on Fox News of all places signals just how poorly Bondi’s combative style is playing even among right-leaning audiences.
Bondi has been on a tear since taking over as Attorney General, using her position to pursue what critics call politically motivated prosecutions while simultaneously defending the administration’s most extreme immigration policies in court.
Her media strategy appears to be volume over substance—get loud, attack the questioner, and pivot to talking points about “criminals” regardless of what’s actually being asked.
That approach might work on friendly outlets, but it’s clearly wearing thin. When even Fox News hosts are calling you a shrieking Karen, your communications strategy might need some work.
The moment underscores a broader problem for the Trump administration: officials who played well during the campaign are struggling to defend actual policies that affect real people. It’s one thing to rail against “illegals” at a rally. It’s another to explain why you’re shipping asylum seekers to a military prison.
Bondi, for her part, shows no signs of dialing it back.