The Department of Justice removed the newly appointed U.S. Attorney for New Jersey after a panel of judges declined to extend Alina Habba’s role in the position.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Habba’s replacement, Desiree Leigh Grace, was removed. “[Habba] has been doing a great job in making NJ safe again. Nonetheless, politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position, replacing Alina with the First Assistant,” Bondi wrote. “Accordingly, the First Assistant United States Attorney in New Jersey has just been removed.”
“This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers.”
Several Democrats condemned Bondi’s move, saying the DOJ continued its “pattern of publicly undermining judicial decisions and showing disregard for the rule of law and the separation of powers.”
“The firing of a career public servant, lawfully appointed by the court, is another blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesn’t agree with them and undermine judicial independence,” Democrat Senators Cory Booker (NJ) and Andy Kim (NJ) said. “This Administration may not like the law, but they are not above it. The people of New Jersey deserve a U.S. Attorney who will enforce the law and pursue justice for the people of our state without partisanship or politics.”
On Tuesday, a New Jersey federal court panel removed Alina Habba from her interim role as U.S. Attorney, refusing to extend her 120‑day appointment.
Upon Habba’s departure, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the district judges “forced out” Trump’s attorney. “It won’t work. Pursuant to the President’s authority, we have removed that deputy, effective immediately,” he wrote on social media. “This backroom vote will not override the authority of the Chief Executive.”
