President-elect Donald Trump has added another Indian-American to his team, but his selection of Harmeet K Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights might raise some eyebrows in New Delhi due to her previous statements regarding key figures linked to the separatist Khalistani movement including individuals who have been designate as terrorists by India.
Announcing the nomination on Truth Social, Trump commended Dhillon for her work defending civil liberties, including challenging big tech, advocating for religious freedom, and opposing corporate discrimination. A prominent Republican who was born in Chandigarh, Dhillon previously faced backlash from pro-MAGA Christians for reciting the Sikh prayer
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at the Republican National Convention. Following her nomination, several of her older posts on X (formerly Twitter) have resurfaced, drawing attention to her apparent support for Khalistani extremists. Notably, she has made unverified claims accusing India of operating “death squads” and suggesting that the Indian diaspora “participated” in assassinating critics.
Social Media Remarks Spark Debate
Dhillon’s posts on X have been highlighted as evidence of pro-Khalistani views, particularly her comments on the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist by India, in Canada earlier this year.
“Canada’s conservative leader joins other Canadian officials in condemning the extrajudicial murder of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Good to see them unite against this shocking act,” Dhillon posted, welcoming criticism of Nijjar’s death.
She has also alleged that India uses “death squads” to target Sikh diaspora members, accusing the Indian government of orchestrating these actions. In one post, she claimed: “India’s death squads targeting diaspora Sikhs, documented in a high-level memo….”
Dhillon even accused Indian officials of suppressing dissent abroad: “That India sent death squads to the US and Canada to target vocal Sikh diaspora critics has now been specifically confirmed by US intelligence,” she alleged in another post, citing unverified reports. In another post, Dhillon criticized the Indian diaspora, claiming it played a role in “assassinating India’s critics.”
On the Same Page As Trump?
Dhillon’s remarks starkly contrast Trump’s broader narrative and could alienate sections of the Indian-American community, many of whom shifted their support during this election. Before the election, Trump had made significant overtures to Indian-Americans, particularly Hindu Americans. On Diwali, Trump’s statements condemned violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, opposed California’s caste discrimination bill, and emphasized strengthening ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While 60% of Indian-American voters backed Kamala Harris, 31-32% supported Trump—a notable increase in Republican support. The proportion of Indian-Americans identifying as Democrats decreased from 56% in 2020 to 47% in 2024, with a corresponding rise in independents. Republican identification remained stable. A significant gender gap emerged, with 67% of Indian-American women supporting Harris compared to 53% of men. Conversely, 22% of women and 39% of men voted for Trump. Among younger voters, the divide was even sharper, with men under 40 nearly evenly split between the two candidates.
It will be interesting to see how the community, which has so far celebrated the elevation of other prominent Indian-Americans under Trump—such as Kash Patel (head of the FBI), Vivek Ramaswamy (co-lead of the Department of Government Efficiency), and Dr Jay Bhattacharya (Surgeon General)—reacts to Dhillon’s appointment.
