By Steve Neavling
A federal court’s effort to replace Trump ally Alina Habba as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor was swiftly undone Tuesday when the Justice Department fired the woman judges had selected to take her place.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the move on X, vowing to keep Habba in power despite the court’s decision to install Desiree Leigh Grace as U.S. attorney. Grace’s appointment came in an order signed by U.S. District Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb, after the 120-day term for interim U.S. attorneys expired, NBC News reports.
Bondi claimed the judges acted out of political bias, saying Habba had been “doing a great job making NJ safe again” but “politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position.”
Habba, a longtime Trump confidant and former personal lawyer, was appointed in March and quickly became a vocal presence, appearing in conservative media and drawing attention for charging Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver over an altercation at an ICE detention center. McIver has pleaded not guilty to three federal charges stemming from the incident.
The Justice Department confirmed Grace had been removed shortly after the court’s order. A source familiar with the decision told NBC News that the administration plans to reinstall Habba in the role, though it’s unclear how.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche also took to X, accusing the judiciary of rushing to oust Habba before her term officially ends Friday.
“The rush to replace her reveals what this was always about: a left-wing agenda, not the rule of law,” Blanche wrote.
Bondi went further, calling the court’s actions a threat to executive power.
“The Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers,” she said.
Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Andy Kim, both Democrats from New Jersey, condemned the move in a joint statement, calling it “another blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesn’t agree with them and undermine judicial independence.”
“Trump’s Department of Justice is once again criticizing a court that acted within its authority, continuing a pattern of publicly undermining judicial decisions and showing disregard for the rule of law and the separation of powers,” they said.
Trump has nominated Habba for the permanent role, but the Senate Judiciary Committee has yet to take up her confirmation.
