The Alina Habba controversy: What we know so far about Trump’s embattled New Jersey prosecutor

The Trump administration is locked in a dogfight with the judiciary over New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor, the controversial partisan warrior Alina Habba.  

Trump appointed Habba, who once unsuccessfully defended him against sexual abuse allegations, to the position of U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey back in March.

But as an interim leader, she could only serve 120 days in the post before either the U.S. Senate or New Jersey’s panel of 17 district court judges must approve her.  

But that didn’t happen. 

The Garden State’s pair of Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, blocked Habba’s appointment in the upper chamber.  

And the panel of federal judges — led by Chief Judge Renee Marie Bumb — cast Habba aside in a Tuesday order that declared that her underling, Desiree Leigh Grace, should take the agency’s reins.  

But then U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi fired Grace and castigated the “politically minded judges” who tried to elevate her.  

So where does Habba’s appointment stand now?  

It’s not clear.  

Who is Alina Habba? 

Habba, a 41-year-old native of the Union County town of Summit, once served as Trump’s personal attorney and campaign spokesperson.  

Her March 24 appointment to run the 155-prosecutor agency raised eyebrows across the country, especially because of her earlier comments about trying to “turn New Jersey red.”  

“Hopefully, while I’m there, I can help that cause,” she said during an appearance on a right-wing podcast following the November 2024 election.  

Once in office, she launched investigations into the Democratic governor and attorney general over their immigration policies; charged Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for trespassing at an immigration detention center; and hit United States Representative LaMonica McIver with charges of “forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers” during a scrum outside Delaney Hall in Newark. 

Her office dropped the charges against Baraka 10 days later, earning Habba a sharp reprimand from a federal judge who called the action a “worrisome misstep” and said her office “must operate with a higher standard than that,” according to a court transcript.  

McIver has pleaded not guilty to her charges.  

When does she leave office? 

Habba’s term was supposed to end this week, unless the Senate or panel of judges approved her. 

But that didn’t happen, and Bumb’s order made clear that the judges wanted no part of letting Habba hold her post.  

Instead, they appointed Grace, a 37-year-old Republican whom the New York Times called “an experienced and no-nonsense prosecutor” who has worked in the office for the last nine years.  

Most recently, she served as a first assistant U.S. attorney after Habba lifted her to the spot soon after her own appointment.  

Grace’s tenure was supposed to start either Tuesday or upon the expiration of Habba’s 120-day term, whichever came later.  

But then Bondi stepped in and suddenly fired Grace — apparently, for no cause. 

“[Alina Habba] has been doing a great job in making NJ safe again,” Bondi wrote in a social media post. “Nonetheless, politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position, replacing Alina with the First Assistant.” 

“Accordingly, the First Assistant United States Attorney in New Jersey has just been removed,” she continued. “This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers.” 

Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, also posted on social media that the “district judges in NJ just proved this was never about law—it was about politics.” 

“They forced out President Trump’s pick, Alina Habba, then installed her deputy, colluding with the NJ Senators along the way,” he claimed. 

“It won’t work. Pursuant to the President’s authority, we have removed that deputy, effective immediately,” he continued. “This backroom vote will not override the authority of the Chief Executive.”  

What happens now? 

A source told NBC News that the Trump administration plans to reinstall Habba in the position somehow, but the mechanism which they will use is not yet clear.  

In the end, who takes over the critical office will likely be hammered out in court proceedings.