Alina Habba, who had previously served as President Donald Trump's defense lawyer, said Monday that she was stepping down as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey after judges disqualified her from that position.
Habba's resignation came a week after the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a district court judge's ruling that found her ineligible for the top prosecutor's job because of the circumstances of her appointment as the interim holder of that post.
Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Habba would remain at the Department of Justice as senior advisor to the attorney general for U.S. Attorneys. Bondi also said the DOJ would continue "to review" the appeals court ruling.
"As a result of the Third Circuit's ruling, and to protect the stability and integrity of the office which I love, I have decided to step down in my role as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey," Habba said in a statement on X.
"But do not mistake compliance for surrender. This decision will not weaken the Justice Department and it will not weaken me," Habba said. "Make no mistake, you can take the girl out of New Jersey, but you cannot take the New Jersey out of the girl."
Bondi said on X, "I am saddened to accept Alina's resignation."
Lindsey Halligan, another former lawyer for President Trump, was also recently disqualified by a judge from serving as the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Bondi appointed Habba as interim U.S. Attorney in March after her predecessor resigned.
Trump later nominated her to hold the post permanently, but her nomination was never considered by the Senate, as is required.
The DOJ engaged in a byzantine series of maneuvers that it argued enabled Habba to automatically become the acting U.S. attorney, but a federal judge and then the 3rd Circuit rejected that effort, saying they failed to comply with the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.
â Additional reporting by Justin Papp and Garrett Downs
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