Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the civil rights division at the Justice Department, has sharply criticized both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the San Francisco Giants, accusing them of a “double standard” when it comes to religious expression. This comes amid a federal investigation probing whether Christian players felt coerced into wearing Pride-themed caps.
“Regardless of how prevalent LGBTQ culture is in San Francisco, employees are entitled to their rights,” Dhillon expressed in an exclusive conversation with The Post on Friday. “They should not be forced into compromising situations and are entitled to request religious accommodations.”
The inquiry was initiated following the Giants’ Pride Night on June 12 at Oracle Park, where four pitchers objected to donning the rainbow-themed hats. Among them, relievers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker opted to inscribe Bible verses on their caps, whereas pitcher Sam Hentges chose to forgo the hat entirely.
In the days that followed, MLB spokesperson Pat Courtney confirmed that the players were issued a warning. He stated that the inscriptions on the caps were in violation of the league’s uniform regulations and that the players had been advised against repeating such actions in the future.
Days later, MLB spokesman Pat Courtney confirmed the players had received a warning, saying the writing on the caps violated league uniform rules and that players had been cautioned against future violations.
Dhillon said the Justice Department referred the matter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which has primary authority over private-sector workplace discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
“They do not mind when players are putting messages that the woke left approves of onto their uniforms,” Dhillon said.
“They don’t mind when players are taking a knee and exhibiting all kinds of stuff on the job, but when people are pushing back on being forced to promote a sexual practice that is against their religion, they’re threatening them.”
The league later clarified that the warning was “not disciplinary” and “had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” noting that MLB’s uniform regulations prohibit players from writing any messages on apparel or equipment and that similar warnings have been issued for personal messages such as “Dad” or “Happy Mother’s Day.”
The controversy has sparked fierce debate in San Francisco, where the Giants’ annual Pride Night is a marquee event. State Sen. Scott Wiener, who represents San Francisco, accused the team of tolerating behavior that caused “pain and anger” within the LGBTQ community.
“The Giants should publicly commit to enforcing rules around uniform defacement and should not effectively create a homophobia exemption to those rules,” Wiener said in a statement.
San Francisco Mayor Dnaiel Lurie said he was “really upset and disappointed” by the players’ decision, while Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow, whose son is gay, said players have the right to their beliefs but should recognize the city they represent.
“What makes San Francisco so great is the acceptance of others — ethnicities, opinions, cultures — and that extends to the gay community,” Krukow told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Dhillon, who lived in San Francisco for nearly 25 years before joining the Trump administration, said the city’s prominent LGBTQ+ culture does not change employers’ legal obligations.
“You can celebrate gay rights — that’s fine,” she said. “But what they’re doing is forcing their workers to, on the job, wear messages that are anathema to most faiths.”
A longtime attorney who represented religious liberty plaintiffs before taking over the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Dhillon said she moved quickly after hearing concerns from lawmakers, attorneys and members of the public.
“I was getting calls and inquiries from United States senators, members of Congress, people in the public and lawyers in private practice,” she said. “I wanted to send the message very quickly, because I don’t want to see these players punished or suspended.”
Dhillon said she believes the players’ actions — writing Bible verses inside their caps or declining to wear the Pride-themed hat altogether — amounted to a “tasteful and discreet” expression of their faith.
“This is their quiet way of saying, ‘I don’t adopt this message,’” she said.
She compared the situation to being required to endorse beliefs she personally opposes.
“I’m a Sikh. If my employer told me I had to wear a hat that celebrates the caste system or says women are inferior to men, I wouldn’t do it,” Dhillon said. “These players don’t have that many options. They’re bound by contract and there are all kinds of other issues.”
Dhillon said she was encouraged that multiple Giants players were willing to publicly object despite playing in one of the country’s most liberal cities.
“I’m actually pleasantly surprised, frankly, that the San Francisco Giants have this many Christians willing to stand up for themselves,” she said. “It’s actually very encouraging.”
While MLB has said the warning issued to the players was routine and unrelated to the content of the messages, Dhillon warned the league could face legal action if it takes further steps.
“I rather suspect that Major League Baseball is going to do nothing to these players, because it’s illegal,” she said. “If they persist, they will get sued.”