Who Is Harmeet Kaur Dhillon? Indian-Origin Woman Resigns As US Civil Rights Chief, First Senior Trump Aide To Exit After Midterm Setback

Indian-origin lawyer Harmeet Kaur Dhillon has resigned as head of the US Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, becoming the first senior official in President Donald Trump's administration to step down following the Republicans' setback in the midterm elections.

US Attorney General Todd Blanche announced her departure on Thursday, praising her work in the role. "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, said her decision to resign was voluntary. Speaking to Fox News, she said she had made up her mind earlier but delayed the announcement at the request of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles until after Election Day.

In a separate post on X, Dhillon described her tenure as the 'honour of a lifetime' and thanked Trump for appointing her. She did not disclose a specific reason for her departure.

Who Is Harmeet Kaur Dhillon?

Born in Chandigarh into a Punjabi Sikh family, Dhillon 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.

A lawyer by profession, she ran a law firm in San Francisco and had established close ties with Trump even before joining his administration. Her law firm was part of the legal team associated with Trump's 2020 election campaign.

Dhillon emerged as a prominent supporter of the Republican leader and regularly appeared on conservative podcasts and social media platforms, where she defended his political positions. Speaking at an event in New York in May, she described her parents' decision to move to the US as the 'greatest gift' they had given her.

Why Did Harmeet Kaur Dhillon Resign?

Dhillon has maintained that she stepped down on her own and has not cited a specific reason for leaving the Justice Department. However, her exit comes amid a major political setback for Republicans in the midterm elections.

In her farewell message, she expressed pride in her work at the Civil Rights Division, highlighting the administration's 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. Her resignation marks the first departure of a senior Trump administration official since the midterm results dealt a major blow to the Republican Party.