Harmeet Dhillon Resigns As US Assistant Attorney General For Civil Rights, First Trump Official To Exit Post-Midterms

Indian-Origin Harmeet Kaur Dhillon Resigns From US Justice Department, First Senior Trump Aide To Exit After Midterms

Indian-origin Harmeet Kaur Dhillon has stepped down as the head of the US Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, becoming the first senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration to resign following the Republican Party’s poor performance in the midterm elections.

US Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed her departure on Thursday and praised her contribution to the department. In a statement shared on X, Blanche said Dhillon had defended the civil liberties of Americans and enforced the law without fear or favour.

Dhillon, however, clarified that she had chosen to resign voluntarily. In an interview with Fox News, she said the decision was hers and revealed that she had postponed announcing it at the request of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles until after Election Day.

Taking to X, Dhillon described her appointment as the “honour of a lifetime” and thanked Trump for trusting her with the responsibility.

Dhillon Highlights Her Work On DEI Policies And Women’s Sports

Although Dhillon did not identify a particular reason for leaving the administration, she highlighted several initiatives undertaken during her time at the Civil Rights Division.

In her farewell message, she claimed that her team had worked towards ending what she described as illegal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. She also cited efforts to protect women’s and girls’ sports as a key achievement of her tenure.

“Serving my country as AAG for Civil Rights has been the honour of a lifetime,” she wrote, expressing gratitude to Trump for the opportunity.

Her resignation comes against the backdrop of the Republican Party’s major electoral setback in the midterms. However, Dhillon has maintained that her decision was personal and not directly linked to the election results.

Who Is Harmeet Kaur Dhillon?

Harmeet Kaur Dhillon was born in Chandigarh into a Punjabi Sikh family. She moved to the United States with her parents after the family initially spent time in London.

She became a naturalised US citizen at the age of 10 and later established herself as a lawyer and political figure. Dhillon operated a law firm in San Francisco and developed close ties with Donald Trump before joining his administration.

Her legal firm was involved in Trump’s legal efforts following the 2020 presidential election. She subsequently became one of the prominent Indian-origin supporters of the Republican leader, regularly appearing on conservative media platforms and expressing her views on social media.

Speaking at an event in New York in May, Dhillon recalled her family’s migration to the United States and described her parents’ decision as the “greatest gift” they had given her.

Her departure from the Justice Department marks a notable change among senior figures in the Trump administration. Dhillon has not yet announced what she plans to do next.