Harmeet Dhillon has resigned as head of the US Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. She stated her departure was planned well in advance and was not related to recent midterm election outcomes as she returns to private legal practice.
Harmeet Dhillon Resigns from Civil Rights Division
Harmeet Dhillon has resigned as head of the US Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division after serving for around 18 months. Her departure comes days after Republicans suffered a setback in the midterm elections, in which Democrats secured control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, according to The Washington Post. US Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Dhillon’s resignation on Thursday (local time), acknowledging her contributions to the department and her leadership of the Civil Rights Division. “Today, I accepted the resignation of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who led the Civil Rights Division with conviction the past 18 months. She has defended the civil liberties of every American and enforced the law without fear or favor,” Blanche said in a post on X. He added that the department was grateful for her dedicated public service and wished her success in her future endeavours.
Circumstances of the Departure
However, Dhillon maintained that her departure was planned well before the Republican Party’s electoral setback and was not a consequence of the midterm results. Speaking to Fox News Digital, she said, “I wasn’t asked to resign. I resigned three weeks ago, and Susie asked me to please wait until after the midterms.” In her resignation letter addressed to President Donald Trump on Thursday, Dhillon said she had informed White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in early October about her intention to leave the administration, believing she had accomplished everything she had come to Washington to do. She said she wanted to return to private legal practice. “My decision, my choice. It’s time,” she said.
Achievements and Legacy
Dhillon described her tenure in the administration as the “greatest honor” of her lifetime and highlighted several achievements during her leadership. She listed initiatives including ending what she described as unlawful diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices, protecting women’s sports, defending parental rights, establishing the division’s first Second Amendment Section and combating antisemitism and religious discrimination. Dhillon also credited Trump and the White House team for supporting the division’s work, saying she would continue fighting for the country after leaving her position.
Changes and Future Implications
Her departure follows significant changes within the Civil Rights Division under her leadership. The Washington Post reported that Dhillon oversaw the dismantling of several longstanding priorities of the department’s civil rights enforcement work. The newspaper described her exit as the first major shake-up at the Justice Department following Tuesday’s midterm elections, which resulted in Democrats gaining control of both chambers of Congress. Dhillon also addressed the possibility of being called before Congress after leaving office. Asked whether she would testify if subpoenaed, she said there could be limitations arising from executive privilege.
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