<
div aria-live=”polite” aria-atomic=”true”>In a significant decision Thursday, District Judge Matthew Brann ruled that Alina Habba was not lawfully appointed to the role of acting United States attorney for the District of New Jersey, rebuking President Donald Trump’s administration for attempting to keep her in the position despite a previous court order.
Judge Brann criticized the Trump administration’s attempts to retain Habba, Trump’s former personal lawyer, in her position as US attorney through “a novel series of legal and personnel moves” and stated that her actions since July 1 may be deemed void due to her lack of official confirmation by the US Senate.
This legal challenge was initiated by defendants in cases Habba was pursuing, including individuals charged with drug and firearm-related offenses, and Cesar Humberto Pina, accused of laundering drug proceeds and participating in a Ponzi-like investment fraud scheme.
Lawyers for Pina praised the judge’s decision and called for the Trump administration to follow federal procedures for appointing US attorneys, emphasizing the need for prosecutors to be qualified and properly appointed.
This decision is expected to exacerbate the ongoing power clash between President Trump and the judiciary, as Habba continues to serve in the US attorney position on an interim basis. However, interim appointments are limited to 120 days, and a panel of judges declined Habba’s bid to stay in the role, naming her second-in-command, career prosecutor Desiree Grace, as her replacement.
The Trump administration rejected the judges’ decision, with Attorney General Pam Bondi firing Grace and stating that Habba would continue in her role.
Habba’s role in the Department of Justice has been scrutinized due to her close relationship with the president and her previous legal representation of Trump in several civil cases. Questions have also been raised about her leadership as interim US attorney, with critics accusing her of pursuing politically motivated investigations and prosecutions.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/21/judge-rules-trump-lawyer-alina-habba-is-unlawfully-serving-as-us-attorney?traffic_source=rss
