Indian-origin lawyer Harmeet Kaur Dhillon has stepped down as head of the US Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, becoming the first senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration to resign after the Republicans suffered a major setback in the midterm elections.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche announced her departure on Thursday, praising her work in the department. “She has defended the civil liberties of every American and enforced the law without fear or favour," Blanche wrote in a post on X.
Dhillon, however, maintained that her decision to leave was voluntary. Speaking to Fox News, she said she had decided to resign on her own but agreed to delay the announcement at the request of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles until after Election Day.
In a separate post on X, she described her tenure as the “honour of a lifetime” and thanked Trump for appointing her to the position.
Why did Harmeet Dhillon step down?
Dhillon did not disclose any specific reason for her resignation. However, she highlighted the work carried out by her team during her tenure, particularly its actions against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and its efforts concerning women's and girls' sports.
“Serving my country as AAG for Civil Rights has been the honour of a lifetime. We ushered in the downfall of illegal DEI, we fought to protect women and girls’ sports, and so much more. I want to thank President Trump for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to what’s next," she wrote on X.
Her resignation comes at a politically difficult time for the Republican Party, following its poor performance in the midterm elections. She is the first senior Trump administration aide to leave since the electoral setback.
Who is Harmeet Kaur Dhillon?
Born in Chandigarh into a Punjabi Sikh family, Dhillon moved to the US with her parents after they had initially spent time in London. She became a naturalised American citizen at the age of 10.
A lawyer by profession, she established a law firm in San Francisco and developed close ties with Trump before joining his administration. Her firm was part of the legal team supporting Trump's 2020 election campaign.
She subsequently emerged as a prominent Trump supporter, frequently appearing on conservative podcasts and social media platforms.
Speaking at an event in New York in May, Dhillon described her parents' decision to move to the US as the “greatest gift” they had given her.