The Trump administration on Tuesday formally nominated interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba to serve a full four-year term as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor, the White House announced.
Habba, an attorney who gained national attention in 2021 representing then-former President Donald Trump in a range of legal matters, was appointed to the interim role in March. Since taking office, she has pursued a series of high-profile cases, including charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for trespassing at a migrant detention center — charges that were later dismissed — and charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver for allegedly assaulting federal officers. Habba’s office has also claimed to be investigating Gov. Phil Murphy and state Attorney General Matt Platkin.
Interim U.S. attorneys are limited to serving 120 days under federal law, and Habba is nearing that deadline. The White House’s nomination comes amid questions about whether she could remain in the role without Senate confirmation, given conflicting legal interpretations of interim appointments.
Before selecting Habba, the Trump administration considered other nominees, including State Sen. Doug Steinhardt and Philadelphia lawyer John Giordano, but ultimately settled on Habba after both withdrew or stepped aside during the vetting process.