Published on Apr 14, 2026
More personnel changes may be in store at DOJ following Attorney General Pam Bondi’s firing. Omeed Assefi, the department’s acting antitrust head, is considering leaving for private practice, sources familiar with the matter said. And Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, might do the same if she doesn’t soon replace the current No. 3 official […]
More personnel changes may be in store at DOJ following Attorney General Pam Bondi’s firing.
Omeed Assefi, the department’s acting antitrust head, is considering leaving for private practice, sources familiar with the matter said. And Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, might do the same if she doesn’t soon replace the current No. 3 official at DOJ, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, a source familiar with the matter said.
President Donald Trump has reportedly discussed promoting Dhillon to associate attorney general, but Woodward is still serving in the role, according to sources. His presence has aggravated some in the MAGA universe, including right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, who in an April 6 social media posting called his appearance at a recent DOJ press conference “shocking.”
Although the departures of Assefi and Dhillon wouldn’t be as outwardly disruptive as Bondi’s April 2 ouster, they’d still be significant, particularly regarding DOJ’s antitrust enforcement. Assefi took over for Gail Slater after her firing in February: Under him, the department agreed to settle its antitrust suit against Live Nation (LYV) and clear Nexstar’s (NXST) $6.2 billion acquisition of rival television station operator Tegna over the objections of state attorneys general and industry players.
The division staff now is conducting a rigorous review of Paramount Skydance’s (PSKY) proposed $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), sources said, although blue state AGs separately preparing a suit to block the deal have expressed skepticism that the Trump administration would ultimately oppose the transaction.
Sources said Assefi’s power to make decisions is kept in check by Woodward, whose portfolio of responsibilities includes the division. Woodward’s close supervision of the division and other agencies he oversees has drawn criticism within the department, the sources said.
A former personal lawyer for Trump, Dhillon has raised her profile in the MAGA world with her overhaul of the Civil Rights Division.
Dhillon and Assefi are on good terms, with the head of the civil rights office posting on X April 4, “With Omeed Assefi in Charge, America First Antitrust is Alive and Well.”
Dhillon declined comment. DOJ and White House didn’t respond immediately to requests for comment. Attempts to reach Woodward were unsuccessful.
