Alina Habba, a former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, has resigned from her position as Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey following a federal appeals court ruling that deemed her appointment unlawful. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the administration’s efforts to retain Habba in the role without Senate confirmation violated federal appointments law. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/alina-habba-trumps-pick-us-attorney-new-jersey-steps-down-2025-12-08/?utm_source=openai))
Habba’s tenure, which began in March 2025, was marked by controversy due to her lack of prosecutorial experience and perceived partisanship. Her appointment faced immediate opposition from New Jersey’s Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, who criticized the administration’s attempts to bypass the traditional confirmation process. ([kim.senate.gov](https://www.kim.senate.gov/senators-kim-and-booker-statement-on-appointment-of-alina-habba-as-acting-u-s-attorney/?utm_source=openai))
In response to the court’s decision, Habba stated that her resignation was intended to “protect the stability and integrity of the office,” though she emphasized that compliance should not be mistaken for surrender. She will transition to a new role as a senior adviser to Attorney General Pam Bondi, focusing on U.S. Attorneys nationwide. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/51e1fbd348adcc099c0e65338cbbd102?utm_source=openai))
Senators Booker and Kim issued a joint statement following Habba’s resignation, expressing that her departure “brings to a close a troubling chapter” and urging the administration to work with them to identify a qualified nominee with deep prosecutorial experience and unquestioned integrity. ([booker.senate.gov](https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-kim-joint-statement-following-resignation-of-alina-habba?utm_source=openai))
The process of appointing a new U.S. Attorney for New Jersey may be protracted, given the political tensions surrounding the position. Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, noted that while ideally the administration and the senators would collaborate to find a mutually acceptable candidate, such cooperation is unlikely. ([inquirer.com](https://www.inquirer.com/politics/new-jersey/alina-habba-resignation-us-attorney-20251208.html?utm_source=openai))
As the search for a new U.S. Attorney continues, the office’s leadership will be temporarily divided among three existing attorneys to ensure the continuity of its operations. ([washingtonpost.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/12/08/alina-habba-trumps-embattled-new-jersey-prosecutor-says-she-will-leave-role/?utm_source=openai))