Alina Habba will remain the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey after the Trump administration moved this week to make her acting U.S. attorney for the state.
Her nomination was set to expire Friday since the Senate hadn’t acted to confirm her.
But the White House withdrew the nomination, allowing the Justice Department on Thursday to make her acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey where she can serve for 210 days.
Harrison Fields, a White House spokesman, told The New York Times, “President Trump continues to have full confidence in Alina Habba and her commitment to serve the people of New Jersey.”
Mr. Trump nominated Ms. Habba to serve as U.S. attorney for New Jersey in March. She served for about 120 days, when the nomination was set to expire.
The state’s two Democratic senators refused to clear her nomination in the Senate, so no confirmation hearing or vote ever took place.
Earlier this week, the district’s 17 judges, 15 of whom were appointed by President Obama and President Biden, voted Tuesday to remove her and appoint Desiree Leigh Grace, a subordinate to Ms. Habba, to the position.
In a countermove, the Justice Department fired Ms. Grace, paving the way for Ms. Habba to be acting U.S. attorney.
Ms. Habba was a personal attorney for Mr. Trump before he won the 2024 election and joined him at the White House as a senior counselor and adviser.
In March, she was sworn in as the U.S. attorney for New Jersey, her home state. In the role, she notably indicted Rep. LaMonica McIver, New Jersey Democrat, for her actions outside a federal immigration facility in May.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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