A battle over New Jersey’s U.S. attorney post erupts as the DOJ fires Alina Habba’s court-appointed successor after a judge’s vote.

Judges Oust Habba; DOJ Moves Quickly Against Successor

The Department of Justice intervened dramatically in the leadership of New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor’s office on Tuesday, firing court-appointed U.S. attorney Desiree Grace just hours after district court judges voted to install her in place of interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba. The sudden action has cast fresh uncertainty over who will oversee federal prosecutions in the state as Habba’s temporary term ends this week.

Alina Habba, best known as President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and campaign legal spokeswoman, had served as interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey for 120 days. With her term expiring, federal judges—most of whom were appointed by Democratic presidents—chose Grace, Habba’s longtime top assistant, to fill the role. The Justice Department, however, immediately removed Grace, with Attorney General Pam Bondi declaring that the department “does not tolerate rogue judges—especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers.”

Bondi praised Habba’s performance, saying she was “making NJ safe again,” but blamed politically motivated judges for blocking her continuation. Bondi added, “Accordingly, the First Assistant United States Attorney in New Jersey has just been removed.”

Habba has attracted attention for her controversial decisions since assuming the interim post. In May, she ordered the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for allegedly trespassing in an immigration detention facility, only to quickly drop the charges after judicial criticism. Baraka has since sued Habba for defamation. Trump recently nominated Habba for a full four-year term, citing endorsements from law enforcement groups, though her lack of prosecutorial experience and politically charged statements—such as a podcast remark about wanting to “turn New Jersey red”—have drawn sharp criticism.

Senate Confirmation Uncertain Amid Partisan Tensions

Habba faces an uphill path to permanent appointment, as New Jersey’s two Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, have refused to provide the customary “blue slip” endorsement. While the Senate can bypass this tradition, doing so is rare. Before Grace’s removal, Booker congratulated her appointment and called for a U.S. attorney “who will enforce the law without fear or favor.”

It remains unclear who will lead the New Jersey U.S. attorney’s office in the interim. The White House has not yet responded to inquiries about the situation, and it is uncertain whether Trump will seek a similar workaround as he did with a prior appointee in New York. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended Habba, alleging that judges sought to force her out before her term officially ended on Friday, and decried what he described as a “left-wing agenda.”

The legal and political maneuvering highlights the friction between the Trump administration and federal judiciary over control of key prosecutorial posts. As the debate intensifies, the future leadership of the New Jersey office—and the broader questions of judicial independence and executive authority—remain unresolved. With Habba’s fate hanging in the balance, all sides are bracing for a protracted fight over the office’s direction and priorities.