Alina Habba steps down following court rules against her appointment.

The former personal attorney for Donald Trump has resigned as the US Attorney for New Jersey. This comes after a legal ruling that questioned her right to occupy the role.

Attorney General's Statement

The head of the Justice Department, the Attorney General, confirmed the prosecutor's departure on the start of the week. She commented that the court's "flawed" ruling made it unworkable for Habba to lead the department effectively.

"Let no one confuse adherence to the ruling as defeat," she declared. "My fight will now reach across the country."

Legal Background

The departure was triggered by a federal appellate panel found that she had been serving in violation of the law as the top prosecutor. This decision is expected to impact scores of prosecutions in the Garden State.

The court declared that a acting appointment that did not receive Senate approval breached the federal law governing appointments.

Future Role and Reaction

The Attorney General added that she will remain at the DOJ as a senior adviser. They intend to seek further review of the disqualification, in the hope of achieving a reversal.

In a statement, Bondi wrote that the judiciary "must not second-guess the President's choice of prosecutors entrusted with performing the fundamental role of the presidency of enforcing the law."

Record and Legacy

The attorney general highlighted Habba's record and said that under her leadership, the Newark saw a one-fifth decrease in crime. Additionally that the southern city of Camden experienced its first summer in 50 years with no murders.

Legal Career

The 41-year-old attorney, originally became part of Donald Trump's lawyers in 2021. She later acted for the former president in his hush-money trial in 2024, which resulted in his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

Prior to her appointment to the top New Jersey post, Trump had announced he was naming her as his senior adviser during his second administration, describing Habba as "unwavering in her loyalty" and a "tireless advocate for justice".