Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon lashed out on X at conservative influencers who have criticized her handling of Jan. 6–related matters, calling some of them "hoes." The remark stood out because she had recently asked followers for help increasing her X audience. Dhillon, who led calls with conservatives about a "new era of conservative lawfare," is now facing frustration from MAGA supporters who expected faster legal action — highlighting tensions between political demands and DOJ responsibilities.
Harmeet Dhillon Calls Critics ‘Hoes’ in X Outburst as MAGA Pressure Mounts
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and previously served as a campaign lawyer for Donald Trump, erupted on X (formerly Twitter) after coming under criticism from conservative influencers who say she has not moved quickly enough to pursue cases related to the Jan. 6 investigations.
Dhillon’s posts on Sunday night used coarse language aimed at right-wing commentators who she said were spreading misinformation and chasing clout. In one message she wrote:
"'Conservative' influencers, if you think you are 'keeping the pressure on' or 'winning' by spreading bullshit attacks on @realDonaldTrump’s hand-picked cabinet, you are NOT. You are earning money to spread misinformation. You are hoes. Learn an honest profession!"
The outburst drew attention in part because Dhillon earlier this month publicly asked for help increasing her follower count on X, creating an awkward contrast with her attack on so-called clout-chasers.
Harmeet Dhillon speaks at the National Conservatism Conference in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 2, 2025.(Dominic Gwinn / Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
Dhillon has faced mounting expectations from segments of the MAGA movement who hoped she — like other Trump-era appointees such as Attorney General Pam Bondi and former acting FBI official Kash Patel — would more aggressively pursue legal action against people involved in investigations of the Jan. 6 attack and inquiries into former President Trump’s actions.
Observers point to a 2023 interview in which Dhillon and conservative activist Charlie Kirk discussed advancing a "new era of conservative lawfare," language that some supporters interpreted as a pledge to pursue swift, high-profile legal retaliation against perceived liberal overreach. Critics now say Dhillon has struggled to satisfy those expectations, and her public rebuke highlights tensions between appointees’ legal duties and the political demands of parts of their base.
Legal experts and commentators note that officials who must follow Department of Justice protocols and ethical rules cannot always deliver the expedited, politically charged outcomes some activists demand. Dhillon’s remarks — and the reaction to them — underline the broader debate within conservatism over strategy, accountability, and the role of the Justice Department under politically appointed leaders.
Context: The episode illustrates the difficulty for DOJ officials balancing institutional responsibilities with pressure from partisan supporters, and it has prompted renewed scrutiny of how political expectations shape public communications from senior officials.
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