Alina Habba will continue serving as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey after a strategic withdrawal of her formal nomination circumvented Senate opposition and preserved her role as top federal prosecutor in the state.
NEWARK, N.J. (TDR) — In a calculated maneuver by the Trump administration, Alina Habba will remain at the helm of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, despite an expiring nomination and resistance from Democratic senators.
The White House withdrew Habba’s formal nomination on Thursday, which had been set to expire Friday after Senate Democrats refused to advance it through the confirmation process. The move allowed the Justice Department to reappoint Habba as acting U.S. attorney, a role she can hold for an additional 210 days under federal statute.
“President Trump continues to have full confidence in Alina Habba and her commitment to serve the people of New Jersey,” said Harrison Fields, White House spokesman, in a statement to The New York Times.
Ms. Habba previously served as President Trump’s personal attorney, before joining his administration in a senior advisory role following his 2024 electoral victory. In March, she was sworn in as U.S. attorney for her home state.
Her tenure has not been without conflict. Earlier this week, 17 federal judges from the district—15 of whom are Obama or Biden appointees—voted to remove her and install Desiree Leigh Grace, one of Habba’s subordinates, in her place. In response, the Justice Department swiftly dismissed Grace, clearing the path for Habba’s reappointment.
Habba has already made headlines during her tenure by indicting Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver for her conduct outside a federal immigration facility in May—an act that likely intensified partisan opposition to her confirmation.
Her continued leadership signals that President Trump is doubling down on trusted legal allies amid institutional resistance.
Will the bench push back harder—or is this a legal checkmate from Trump’s DOJ?
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