Alina Habba, former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, declared Thursday that she will continue serving as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey—despite a vote by federal judges rejecting the extension of her interim term. In a defiant statement, Habba made it clear she won’t be backing down under political or institutional pressure.
“Donald J. Trump is the 47th President. Pam Bondi is the Attorney General. And I am now the Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey,” Habba posted online. “I don’t cower to pressure. I don’t answer to politics. This is a fight for justice. And I’m all in.”
A Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that Habba’s status had shifted from “interim” U.S. attorney to “acting” U.S. attorney—a distinction with legal significance under federal vacancy statutes.
Judges’ Vote Sparks Standoff in Newark
Habba’s 120-day term as interim U.S. attorney was set to expire Friday. Under federal law, district judges in New Jersey had the authority to vote on whether to extend her appointment. In a rare rebuke, the judges opted to replace her with her deputy, Desiree Grace. However, in a swift counter-move, Attorney General Pam Bondi fired Grace shortly after the vote, raising questions about the legality of the judges’ decision.
Grace, a respected career prosecutor who has worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2016, said in a LinkedIn post that she had planned to be sworn in Saturday.
“It will forever be the greatest honor that they selected me on merit,” Grace wrote. “I’m prepared to follow that Order and begin to serve in accordance with the law.”
White House Backs Habba; Legal Fight Likely
The White House is standing behind Habba and President Trump has already nominated her to serve a full four-year term as U.S. attorney. However, her confirmation faces steep odds, as New Jersey’s two Democratic senators—Cory Booker and Andy Kim—are blocking her nomination through the Senate’s “blue slip” process.
Sen. Booker condemned Bondi’s decision to fire Grace, calling it “a blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesn’t agree with them.”
“This administration may not like the law, but they are not above it,” he said.
Arcane Laws at Center of Controversy
The escalating standoff hinges on rarely invoked federal vacancy rules. Those laws gave the district judges temporary appointment power—but they also allow the president and attorney general to reappoint someone as an “acting” official under different authority. Habba resigned from her interim post before the deadline, and the Trump administration immediately reinstalled her in an acting capacity, which can last up to 210 days.
It remains unclear whether the judges’ vote remains valid in light of this procedural shift, and legal experts say the matter may ultimately be decided in court.
Habba: ‘This Is a Fight for Justice’
Habba, a familiar face in Trump’s inner legal circle and a speaker at conservative gatherings like CPAC, has framed the clash as a stand against political interference.
Speaking at a recent event, she criticized the state of the country’s legal institutions and declared her mission is to restore justice, not appease Washington.
With both sides digging in and no immediate resolution in sight, the battle over who will serve as the U.S. attorney for New Jersey has become a high-stakes legal and political showdown—with implications that could stretch far beyond the state.
