Trump ally Alina Habba dramatically ousted from top administration job

Alina Habba was ousted this week from her Trump-appointed role as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

A panel of mostly Democrat-appointed federal judges decided that Habba, President Donald Trump’s close ally and  former lawyer, could not continue to serve beyond the temporary 120 days allowed.

The order issued on Tuesday directs Desiree Leigh Grace, the first assistant prosecutor to Habba, to assume the interim U.S. attorney role immediately.

This means after a whirlwind few years in Trump’s inner circle – including serving as counselor to the president in the first few months back in office – Habba no longer has an official role within his administration.

However, Trump has formally appointed Habba to the permanent position, so she may not be out of the fold for long. 

A spokesperson for Habba did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment on her ouster.  

Habba is running into several roadblocks to get to final confirmation. 

Her nomination to take on the role permanently was halted in Congress after opposition from New Jersey’s two Democratic Senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim.

Trump nominated Habba to take helm at the Attorney’s Office in New Jersey on July 1 but her confirmation was held up by New Jersey Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim – both Democrats

Alina Habba was ousted on Tuesday from her role as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey after her 120-days came to an end without Senate confirmation

Democrats have also accused Habba of pursuing ‘frivolous and politically motivated’ prosecutions despite her relative inexperience as a prosecutor. 

This potentially is in reference to her role in charging Newark Mayor Ras Baraka with trespassing after he was arrested during a confrontation with border agents at a New Jersey migrant holding facility this summer.

Additionally, in an April 2025 post on X, Habba said she would pursue charges against politicians who violate Trump’s executive orders, which many interpreted as politically-motivated action.

In the lead-up to the vote on her future, Habba gathered her staff on Thursday for a bittersweet all-hands meeting where she acknowledged she might soon have to vacate her role, a person familiar with the meeting told the Daily Mail.

They said she thanked her staff and gave a hopeful message that she would be able to continue in her job as U.S. Attorney as she wades through a shaky Senate confirmation process to be Trump’s permanent head in New JErsey.

The majority of judges who voted on Habba’s career future were appointed by Democrats.

But a source close to Habba told the Daily Mail that she had been meeting with the judges for weeks before the vote to develop relationships and discuss a path forward should she get the permanent confirmation to the role.

Trump has grown frustrated with the bureaucracy in Congress and has called for the Senate to stay in session through their August recess.

He wants the upper chamber to quickly confirm all his nominations, which includes Habba, even though Republicans have been working at record speed to get through his picks.

The person close to Habba said she ‘would never back down’ from the job Trump chose for her.

Habba told her staff, ‘Hopefully this isn’t goodbye,’ according to the person familiar with the meeting.

They said that Habba was making sure she was able to thank them for their work if she doesn’t get a chance to do so later.

Habba served as a personal attorney to Trump between his first and second term as he faced a slew of lawsuits against himself and his business

The judicial meeting on Monday presented judges with the possibility of a choice between two potential candidates – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace and former U.S. District Court Judge Noel Lawrence Hillman. Both are registered Republicans.

The former received the next interim appointment, which she will hold for 120 days pending whether any permanent appointment is confirmed.

The judges could have also opted to appoint Habba to the role, which they did not choose to do.

If the judges decided, however, not to take action this week, Grace would become the next acting U.S. attorney by default.

The Senate could intervene at any time to confirm Habba, who is Trump’s nominee for the position.

The president nominated Habba for a full term as U.S. Attorney on July 1. 

She had already served as acting attorney since departing the White House in March and her 120 days was up this week.

Habba then joined Trump in his second term for a short stint as Counselor to the President before she left to serve as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, which is her home state