Harmeet Dhillon resigns as DOJ civil rights chief; says Wiles asked her to wait until after midterms

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon resigned Thursday as head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, telling Fox News Digital she decided weeks before the midterms and that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles asked her to delay leaving until after Election Day.

"I wasn't asked to resign," Dhillon said. "I resigned three weeks ago, and Susie asked me to please wait until after the midterms." A resignation letter dated Nov. 5 was obtained by Fox. Dhillon said she told Wiles she had "accomplished everything" she came to do and wanted to return to private practice after roughly two years in the administration, following the deaths of her husband and father.

Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on X that he accepted her resignation and praised her for defending civil liberties "without fear or favor." Dhillon was nominated by President Trump in December 2024, confirmed by the Senate, and sworn in in April 2025. She had pushed investigations into noncitizen voting and other civil-rights priorities before Republicans lost the House and Senate this week.

Asked about a possible presidential pardon if Democrats pursue her, Dhillon said she had never discussed it with Trump and did not believe she needed one.