Alina Habba attends her swearing-in ceremony as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 28, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
Alina Habba, who had previously served as President Donald Trump’s defense lawyer, said Monday that she was stepping down as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey after judges disqualified her from that position.
Habba’s resignation came a week after the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a district court judge’s ruling that found her ineligible for the top prosecutor’s job because of the circumstances of her appointment.
Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Habba would remain at the Department of Justice as senior advisor to the attorney general for U.S. Attorneys. Bondi also said the DOJ would continue “to review” the appeals court ruling.
“As a result of the Third Circuit’s ruling, and to protect the stability and integrity of the office which I love, I have decided to step down in my role as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey,” Habba said in a statement on X.
“But do not mistake compliance for surrender. This decision will not weaken the Justice Department and it will not weaken me,” Habba said. “Make no mistake, you can take the girl out of New Jersey, but you cannot take the New Jersey out of the girl.”
Bondi said on X, “I am saddened to accept Alina’s resignation.”
Lindsey Halligan, another former lawyer for President Trump, was also recently disqualified by a judge from serving as the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia.
— Additional reporting by Justin Papp and Garrett Downs
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