White House Responds After Judges Reject Alina Habba for US Attorney Post
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The White House threw its support behind Alina Habba, President Donald Trump's former personal defense attorney and interim U.S. attorney in New Jersey, after federal judges in the state declined to extend Habba's term as the interim top prosecutor.
"President Trump has full confidence in Alina Habba, whose work as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey has made the Garden State and the nation safer," Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, told Newsweek in a statement. "The Trump Administration looks forward to her final confirmation in the U.S. Senate and will work tirelessly to ensure the people of New Jersey are well represented."
The Context
The White House's statement came after Chief Judge Renée Bumb in New Jersey issued a brief order stating that the panel of judges would not extend Habba's tenure as interim U.S. attorney.
The district court appointed Desiree Leigh Grace "effective July 22, 2025, or 'upon the expiration of 120 days after appointment by the Attorney General' of the Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, whichever is later," Bumb's order said.
What To Know
Tuesday's decision from the court came after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a statement Monday urging the judges to leave Habba in place.
"In light of the smear campaign, it's worth repeating @USAttyHabba has the full confidence of DOJ leadership because she's doing the job – aggressively, independently, and by the book. The district judges should not be swayed by political noise. Keep her in place," Blanche said on X.
Blanche took to X again to defend Habba after the district court declined to extend her tenure.
"The district court judges in NJ are trying to force out @USAttyHabba before her term expires at 11:59 p.m. Friday," Blanche wrote. "Their rush reveals what this was always about: a left-wing agenda, not the rule of law. When judges act like activists, they undermine confidence in our justice system. Alina is President Trump's choice to lead—and no partisan bench can override that."
Attorney General Pam Bondi amplified Blanche's social media post and said in a statement: "My friend @USAttyHabba is doing outstanding work in New Jersey — she makes @thejusticedept proud."
Habba, meanwhile, has faced strong pushback from New Jersey's two Democratic senators over her nomination for U.S. attorney. Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim have both argued against her confirmation, alleging that Habba has pursued politically motivated prosecutions to serve Trump's agenda.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
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