Trump praises Indian American Harmeet Dhillon at White House event

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump marked Black History Month at the White House, using the occasion to highlight his record on criminal justice reform, the economy, and public safety -- and to praise Indian American leader Harmeet Kaur Dhillon from the stage.

“This is a nice, full room,” Trump said as he opened the reception on Wednesday (local time), calling the centennial observance of Black History Month “a big deal, 100th. That's sort of special.”

The President began by paying tribute to the late civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. “He was a piece of work, but he was a good man,” Trump said. “I just want to pay my highest respects to Reverend Jesse Jackson.”

As he moved through a long list of guests and officials, Trump turned to legal battles involving Harvard and other institutions and said, “Harmeet is on their trail, right?” -- a reference to Harmeet Dhillon, who serves as US Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.

Dhillon, an Indian-American lawyer born in 1969, was appointed to the role in 2025. She previously served as vice chair of the California Republican Party and as the Republican National Committeewoman for California. Her elevation to a top Justice Department civil rights post has made her one of the most senior Indian Americans in the Trump administration.

Trump used the event to reiterate what he described as key accomplishments for Black Americans. “I signed historic criminal justice reform into law,” he said, referring to the First Step Act enacted during his first term. “Just so you know, for 30 years, more than any other group of people, have been trying to get criminal reform, and they couldn't do it.”