Who is Alina Habba? Trump’s ex-lawyer removed as New Jersey’s top prosecutor

Alina Habba, once best known as a fiery courtroom defender and media surrogate for President Donald Trump, has concluded her short-lived and controversial term as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor.

Chief US District Judge Renee Marie Bumb confirmed in an order on Tuesday that Habba’s 120-day interim tenure had ended, with First Assistant US Attorney Desiree Leigh Grace named as her successor. The judge did not explain the change, which took effect immediately.

The appointment marked a meteoric rise for Habba, 41, who had never served as a federal prosecutor before and whose courtroom experience was largely in state-level civil litigation. Her time in office, like her high-profile defense of Trump, was punctuated by aggressive moves, political overtones, and legal missteps.

“I wanted to pursue the president’s agenda of putting America first,” Habba once said, highlighting her alignment with Trump’s hardline immigration stance and willingness to take on high-profile Democratic figures.

Habba’s tenure drew swift backlash after she brought charges against two prominent Democratic officials — Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and freshman Rep. LaMonica McIver, over an incident during a visit to the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility.

Baraka, who tried to accompany members of Congress on the visit, was arrested for trespassing. The charge was later dropped by Habba’s office — but not without consequence. US Magistrate Judge Andre Espinosa criticised the move as a “worrisome misstep” and said the arrest appeared “hasty.”

Baraka, who maintains he did nothing wrong, is now suing Habba in her official capacity, accusing her of malicious prosecution.

McIver’s case is ongoing. She was charged with assaulting federal officers during the same incident — charges based on video footage showing the congresswoman’s elbows pushing into law enforcement personnel as she joined others supporting the mayor. The case marks one of the few federal prosecutions of a sitting member of Congress not related to financial crimes.

Though Trump formally nominated Habba to the post pending Senate confirmation, her appointment never advanced due to opposition from New Jersey’s two Democratic US senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim.

The senators questioned her qualifications and accused her of using the office for politically motivated prosecutions.

Before her brief prosecutorial stint, Habba was a partner in a boutique New Jersey firm near Trump’s Bedminster golf club. She served as a senior adviser to Trump’s political action committee and became one of his most visible legal defenders, representing him in various civil cases, including the 2024 defamation lawsuit filed by E Jean Carroll.

But her courtroom conduct drew sharp criticism. In the Carroll trial, US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan reprimanded Habba for misapplying legal procedures and raising improper objections.

“She was Trump’s legal spokesperson one week, top federal prosecutor the next,” a Democratic aide quipped privately. “The office is not supposed to be a campaign arm.”

Despite these concerns, Habba used her platform to announce investigations into New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matt Platkin over the state’s sanctuary policies, while touting her office’s work against drug trafficking networks.

As her exit became official, neither Habba nor the Justice Department offered public comment.

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Inputs from Associated Press