President Donald Trump appoints Alina Habba, his longtime personal attorney and current Counselor to the President, as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. The announcement, made via Truth Social, marks a significant shake-up in the federal legal landscape of Trump’s home state and signals his continued push to install close allies in key positions.
Habba, a New Jersey native, has been a central figure in Trump’s legal defense team in recent years. She gained national attention for her aggressive representation of the former president during his numerous civil and criminal legal battles, including the E. Jean Carroll defamation case and the New York civil fraud lawsuit. She is also a senior advisor to MAGA, Inc., Trump’s political action committee.
Trump praises Habba for her “diligence and conviction,” stating that she will “fight tirelessly to secure a legal system that is both fair and just for the wonderful people of New Jersey.” In her own statement, Habba says she is “honored” to serve and pledges to focus on prosecuting corruption, cracking down on violent crime, and restoring public trust in the justice system. She also criticizes state Democratic leaders, including Governor Phil Murphy and Senator Cory Booker, for what she calls “decades of mismanagement” in cities like Newark and Camden.
Habba replaces John Giordano, who has been nominated by Trump to become the next U.S. Ambassador to Namibia. Giordano previously served in the Department of Justice and the Department of Energy and took on the interim U.S. Attorney role earlier this month. His ambassadorship is expected to face Senate confirmation in the coming weeks.
This appointment adds to a growing list of Trump allies tapped for senior federal posts as his administration continues to reshape the federal government. The role of U.S. Attorney is particularly critical in New Jersey, a state known for its high-profile political corruption cases, organized crime investigations, and complex financial prosecutions.
Habba’s appointment is already drawing scrutiny from legal experts and political analysts. Critics argue her close personal and political ties to Trump may raise concerns about impartiality, especially as the Department of Justice remains entangled in politically sensitive cases. Supporters, however, view her as a tough and loyal figure capable of executing Trump’s “law and order” vision in a politically competitive state.
Trump’s decision comes just days after his Cabinet meeting, during which he also announced new tariffs and hosted Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency. That meeting further reinforced the administration’s emphasis on loyalty, deregulation, and centralized control over key agencies and judicial districts.
Sources:
- https://nypost.com/2025/03/24/us-news/trump-names-his-former-defense-lawyer-alina-habba-to-be-interim-us-attorney-for-new-jersey
- https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-taps-adviser-alina-habba-for-u-s-attorney-post-in-new-jersey-3c791566
- https://www.axios.com/2025/03/24/alina-habba-interim-us-attorney-new-jersey
- https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-picks-personal-attorney-alina-habba-interim-us-attorney-new-jersey-2025-03-24
- https://newjerseyglobe.com/judiciary/trump-names-alina-habba-his-fiery-former-lawyer-as-interim-u-s-attorney-for-new-jersey
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alina_Habba
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Giordano_(lawyer)
- https://www.the-sun.com/news/13857569/alina-habba-donald-trump-rhony-aoc-new-jersey
- https://apnews.com/article/5ef21a301fe03c987c2f0fa9e9b35a86
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/mar/24/donald-trump-jd-vance-greenland-us-politics-latest-live-news
- https://youtu.be/rMochdCgrYs
