Harmeet Dhillon is stepping down from her role as the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, as confirmed by Fox News on Thursday. This move follows the Republicans’ midterm losses.
Fox News correspondent David Spunt reported that Dhillon’s final working day and the specific reasons for her resignation have not been disclosed.
The seasoned Trump supporter significantly transformed the Civil Rights Division, prioritizing issues such as religious liberty, gun rights, and the examination of state voter rolls.
According to Bloomberg Law, Dhillon had indicated to associates her plans to resign after the elections, with an announcement potentially coming shortly.
Her exit follows a comprehensive personnel overhaul within the division. After a series of departures by career attorneys, Dhillon successfully attracted numerous lawyers with conservative advocacy backgrounds.
During her tenure, the division created a section dedicated to Second Amendment rights and was involved in lawsuits related to immigration, voter registration, and reported antisemitism on college campuses.
Dhillon was nominated by President Donald Trump in December 2024, confirmed by the Senate on April 3, 2025, and sworn in soon after.
Before her appointment, she founded the Dhillon Law Group and the Center for American Liberty, gaining national attention for her legal battles concerning free speech, religious rights, and government restrictions during the pandemic.
Additionally, she previously acted as a Republican Party official and served as a campaign attorney for Trump.
While reports suggest she had already contemplated a return to private practice, it remains unclear if the recent electoral outcomes influenced her decision to resign.
