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. Habba is a former …
NEW JERSEY - Alina Habba has resigned as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, days after a federal appeals court ruled her appointment to the position was unlawful.
What we know:
In a statement released Monday, Habba said she is stepping down "to protect the stability and integrity of the office," but emphasized that she does not view the decision as a surrender.
Her resignation comes after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld a ruling that she was improperly appointed to lead the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office. The court found that she served beyond the allowed temporary term without Senate confirmation.
Before joining the Justice Department, Habba was known nationally for representing President Donald Trump in several high-profile legal matters. She referenced those years in her statement, saying she fought "against lawfare aimed at President Trump" and against politics influencing the justice system.
In her statement, Habba highlighted her five years of work in New Jersey, saying she helped reduce violent crime, remove offenders from the streets and prosecute child predators. She also criticized judges and elected officials in the state whom she accused of politicizing the justice system.
Her future role
Habba said she will continue serving in the Justice Department as Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for U.S. Attorneys, a new position she notes will expand her work nationwide.
"My fight will now stretch across the country," she wrote, adding that she intends to continue supporting the Department of Justice while the ruling undergoes further review.
What's next:
The Justice Department has not yet announced an interim replacement for the New Jersey office. The resignation leaves one of the nation’s most prominent federal districts without a permanent Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney.
Habba’s statement concludes, "Make no mistake, you can take the girl out of New Jersey, but you cannot take New Jersey out of the girl."
The Source: This story is based on Alina Habba’s public statement and prior reporting on the federal court ruling.