Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed Friday that the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida submitted his resignation, coming after Republicans saw major losses in the midterm election and other departures from the Justice Department.
Blanche did not say why U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones is stepping down.
“We are grateful for Jason’s leadership in combatting violent crime, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and transnational crime, including the indictment of Raúl Castro,” the attorney general wrote on X.
“Jason has served the Department multiple times over his distinguished career, and we thank him for his service to this country.”
His resignation comes just a day after a top Department of Justice (DOJ) official, Harmeet Dhillon, announced she is stepping down, a move Blanche also confirmed. In a comment to Fox News, Dhillon said she was planning to leave weeks ago, but White House chief of staff Susie Wiles asked her to stay in the department until the midterms.
“Serving my country as [assistant attorney general] for Civil Rights has been the honor of a lifetime,” Dhillon said in an X post confirming she is leaving her post.
Referring to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), she added, “We ushered in the downfall of illegal DEI, we fought to protect women and girls’ sports, and so much more. I want to thank President Trump for giving me this opportunity.”
In the social media post announcing Dhillon’s departure, Blanche said she led the division with “conviction” and “defended the civil liberties of every American and enforced the law without fear or favor.”
“The Department is grateful for her dedicated public service, and we wish her every success in her future endeavors,” Blanche wrote in the post.
Another top DOJ official also submitted his resignation after the elections. In a Thursday court filing, top aide and litigator Henry Whitaker said he is “imminently leaving the government for another opportunity,” offering no other details except that R. Trent McCotter will represent the U.S. government in cases going forward.
Following the election, which saw Democrats take significant majorities in both the House of Representatives and Senate, there has been speculation that Cabinet-level officials may step down from the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
However, Rubio dismissed those claims to several news outlets on Thursday and told The New York Times that being part of the Trump White House for the second part of his second term has been his plan.
“I don’t know where these things come from, to be honest with you,” he said, responding to those claims.
“I love the work I’m doing.”
Rubio, who is also a national security adviser to Trump, added, “And plus I always laugh when they say he’s going to leave his job. I go, ‘Which one?’”
Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson said a report from the UK-based outlet The Independent claiming Rubio would soon exit was erroneous, asserting it was fabricated by “made-up anonymous ‘sources.’”
“We look forward to revisiting this ‘report’ in the coming weeks to celebrate yet another humiliating own goal by The Independent,” Johnson said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Quiñones.
Blanche did not name who would replace Quiñones as the U.S. attorney for that district, which includes Miami, Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale.
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