The Trump administration has faced its first setback after the drubbing in November 3 midterm elections in the United States (US). Indian-American lawyer Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, who was serving as the head of the US Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, has resigned from her position, becoming the first of President Donald Trump’s key allies to step down.
Dhillon, who was born in Chandigarh and has lived in London before she moved to New York, was nominated by Trump in December 2024. In April, she was sworn in as the Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for Civil Rights. Her departure could trigger a series of resignations, as many Republicans have already expressed dissatisfaction with the Trump administration over its policies, especially the Iran war and the trade tariffs.
Dhillon, however, has not blamed anyone for her move and instead, thanked Trump for providing him the opportunity to serve as the AAG.
“Serving my country as AAG for Civil Rights has been the honor of a lifetime,” Dhillon, whose legal firm was part of Trump’s 2020 campaigning, said on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday (local time). “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!”
While many Republicans and Trump’s supporters have blamed the Iran war for the loss in midterms, the 80-year-old US President has attributed it to Thursday’s stock market freefall. But he assured his supporters that the Republicans would bounce back and make American great again.
“The Stock Market suffered one of the Worst Days in History based on the results of the Election. Such a sad thing to watch! It took so much work to get us to a level that no one has ever seen before, and then this. Your 401(k)s have, therefore, dropped. Remember, it wasn’t Republicans, it was Dumocrats,” he posted on Truth Social.
The Democrats now have a complete control at the US House and the Senate. Experts and analysts believe it would be interesting to see what happens two years from now in the next presidential election. However, they believe there would not be any major change in Trump’s policies for now.
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