Politics

NEW: Alina Habba Officially Sworn In For Key DOJ Role

Published

3 days ago

March 28, 2025

Alina Habba, the former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, was officially sworn in Friday as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

The swearing-in ceremony, attended by President Trump and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, was anything but conventional. Habba delivered a fiery speech filled with praise for Trump, gratitude to her family, and a promise to shake up New Jersey’s justice system.

“Four years ago, [Trump] entrusted faith in me as his personal attorney,” Habba said Friday. “From being outside the courtroom defending him and defending our great nation… I saw the most resilience I’ve ever seen in my life. This man kept fighting for America, and I’m just so honored that now I get to fight for the state of New Jersey.”

Habba vowed to “clean it up” and declared she would “make New Jersey great again,” echoing the president’s signature message.

WATCH:

Her appointment follows the brief tenure of John Giordano, who is moving on to serve as U.S. ambassador to Namibia. While U.S. Attorneys are often seasoned federal prosecutors, Habba’s new role is a bold political move by the Trump administration — and one drawing sharp reactions.

A prominent civil litigator and television presence, she has never tried a criminal case or worked inside the Department of Justice. However, she has long been one of Trump’s most visible and vocal legal defenders, standing by him in courtrooms and in the media throughout his first and second presidencies.

Over the years, Habba has become a lightning rod for praise. She’s known for going on offense — both in legal filings and public statements — and has frequently targeted what she describes as a corrupt justice system and far-left political establishment. In New Jersey, she’s taken direct aim at Democratic figures like Governor Phil Murphy (D-NJ) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), blaming them for crime spikes, failed school policies, and so-called “woke” governance.

N EW YORK, NEW YORK-MARCH 21, 2023: Alina Habba, former lawyer for Donald Trump talks to media and makes her way into Trump Tower in Manhattan on Tuesday.

“As you know, I’ve stood by President Trump, his family, the [Trump] organization, and many other clients in that state where I’ve been born and raised, and I’m raising my babies now, but there is corruption, there is injustice, and there is a heavy amount of crime right in [Sen.] Cory Booker’s backyard and right under Governor [Phil] Murphy, and that will stop,” Habba said.

When asked directly who she intended to target, Habba replied, “We’ll see when I get in there.”

“I think Cory Booker and Governor Murphy have failed the state of New Jersey. If you look at what happened in crime, what’s going on in Newark, what’s going on in Camden, this has been a neglected state,” she said.

“It is one of the most populated states for its size, and it needs to stop. We’re going to do a bang-up job. I cannot wait. It’s a great honor,” she finished.

“I am honored to serve my home state of New Jersey as Interim U.S. Attorney and I am grateful to President Trump for entrusting me with this tremendous responsibility,” Habba wrote on X earlier this week. “Just like I did during my time as President Trump’s personal attorney, I will continue to fight for truth and justice. We will end the weaponization of justice, once and for all.”

Born to Chaldean Christian immigrants from Iraq, Habba has long credited her family’s American journey for shaping her fierce views on law and justice. She attended Lehigh University and earned her law degree from Widener University. Before joining Trump’s legal team, she served as managing partner of a New Jersey-based law firm and represented clients in civil litigation matters.