DOJ's new take on civil rights and students meet in secret to stage a protest at Columbia: Morning Rundown

President Donald Trump takes the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in an unfamiliar, concerning direction, according to current and former employees.

In today’s newsletter: President Donald Trump takes the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in an unfamiliar, concerning direction, according to current and former employees. Students at Columbia University plan to stage encampment protests this week. And the NFL draft kicks off tonight with the Tennessee Titans in the hot seat.

Here’s what to know today.

President Donald Trump has been quietly overhauling the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a way that former employees say is at odds with how previous administrations – Republican and Democrat – have enforced civil rights law.

Harmeet Dhillon in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 26, 2025.Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images fileAs part of his remake, Trump picked Harmeet Dhillon, a conservative culture warrior who represented him in challenging the results of the 2020 election and backed his baseless claims of voter fraud, to lead the office. Ten current and former employees of the office, as well as other sources familiar with the Justice Department’s operations, who spoke to NBC News, claim Dhillon has forced out a majority of career managers, caused others to resign and led a 180-degree shift in the direction of the department from its original mission: enforcing laws that prohibit discrimination in hiring, housing and voting rights.

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