MAGA’s rank-and-file is rallying around an election-denying culture wars warrior to replace axed Attorney General Pam Bondi.
One day after Donald Trump ousted Bondi amid discontent over the Epstein files and her lack of successful prosecutions against his enemies, Trump loyalists have begun jockeying to become the nation’s top law enforcer.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Environment Protection Authority administrator Lee Zeldin are the two frontrunners.
Other names have also surfaced as possible contenders, including former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro (now the U.S. attorney for D.C.); Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt (who previously took himself out of the running when Bondi was nominated); and failed New Jersey U.S. Attorney Alina Habba (another former Trump attorney).
But there’s also a push from MAGA loyalists and influencers to elevate Harmeet Dhillon, who Trump appointed last year as an assistant attorney general for civil rights.
Dhillon spent years as a Republican Party official and conservative lawyer, known for challenging pandemic-era restrictions and supporting Trump’s efforts to contest the 2020 election.
Among her clients was former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who she represented in a lawsuit brought by a former employee who accused him of creating a hostile work environment.
The pro-lifer and gun rights advocate has also been involved in high-profile lawsuits across multiple states targeting voting laws and election processes.
“Harmeet Dhillon would be an exceptional Attorney General,” conservative activist Scott Presler posted on X, citing her work “suing states for their voter rolls to ensure that only American citizens can vote.”
Tim Clark, a former senior executive in the Trump White House, agreed.
“She would bring the scales of justice, big time!” he said.
Conservative influencer Mike Cernovich declared, “She’s definitely someone most supported by the base,” while former Republican Congressman-turned-prison inmate George Santos also weighed in.
“I love this!” he quipped when Harmeet’s name was thrown into the mix.
Speculation over who Trump will pick to replace Bondi came as her portrait was unceremoniously removed from the Justice Department’s walls on Friday.
One photo obtained by MS NOW showed her picture in a trash bin–yet another humiliation for the Trump loyalist, who turned the once independent department into a weapon for the president’s retribution campaign.
But while Dhillon’s reputation has made her a firebrand among some in Trump’s orbit, critics view her as a conspiracy theorist and controversial figure intent on stripping back rights.
Civil rights groups and legal organizations opposed her nomination to lead the Civil Rights Division, whose focus used to be on enforcing laws around racial discrimination, voting rights, police misconduct, and disability access.
The division is now reoriented towards conservative causes such as anti-Christian bias, opposing transgender participation in women’s sports, and gun rights enforcement. Dozens of staff have also left or been pushed out.
“Dhillon has spent her career eroding public trust in our electoral process and participating in a larger effort to undermine racial equity initiatives,” the Legal Defense Fund wrote in a 2024 letter opposing her nomination.
“In 2020, she recklessly spread conspiracy theories about the integrity of our elections, going so far as to suggest that Supreme Court justices should intervene on President Trump’s behalf.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.
Bondi’s ouster makes her the second Cabinet official to be axed by Trump in less than a month, following in the footsteps of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Trump has appointed Blanche, his former personal lawyer, as interim attorney, but some insiders have told the Daily Beast that he could be a risk for the permanent position because he is viewed by some as “the face” of the Epstein firestorm.
Blanche interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell and oversaw her sweetheart prison deal, and has also been publicly prosecuting the case to not release all the files in the department’s possession.
“As the Department of Justice moves forward under new leadership, survivors must be at the center of the process,” said Lauren Hersh, national director of World Without Exploitation.
