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13h ago

Judges Oust Trump Appointee as U.S. Attorney, DOJ Fires Her Successor

The judiciary’s appointment of Habba’s deputy followed by the Justice Department’s removal of her successor has left New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor post in limbo.

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 28: White House Presidential Counselor Alina Habba delivers remarks before being sworn in as the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in the Oval Office at the White House on March 28, 2025 in Washington, DC.
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Overview

  • A panel of federal judges in New Jersey declined to extend Alina Habba’s 120-day interim term and appointed her first assistant, Desiree Leigh Grace, as U.S. attorney.
  • Hours later, Attorney General Pam Bondi removed Grace, declaring that the Justice Department would not tolerate “rogue judges” overruling executive appointments.
  • Habba, President Trump’s former personal lawyer, faced widespread criticism over her lack of prosecutorial experience and politically charged cases against Democratic figures including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. LaMonica McIver.
  • Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche publicly backed Habba, accusing judges of yielding to political pressure and urging them to “keep her in place.”
  • The dispute underscores tensions between presidential appointment powers and judicial oversight under a federal law capping interim U.S. attorney terms at 120 days.