Trump's former lawyer leaves her post following judicial rules against her.
The ex-lawyer for the former president has resigned as the US Attorney for New Jersey. This comes after a judicial decision that challenged her eligibility to hold the office.
Attorney General's Statement
US Attorney General, the Attorney General, accepted her stepping down on Monday. In a statement that the judicial decision made it unworkable for her to perform her duties.
"Do not interpret compliance for surrender," she wrote. "My fight will now reach across the country."
Legal Background
The departure was triggered by a federal appellate panel found that she had been serving in violation of the law as the top prosecutor. This decision is expected to impact many criminal cases in the state.
The judicial panel ruled that a temporary posting that skirted Senate approval violated the statute on vacant positions.
Next Steps and Responses
Bondi said that she will continue working within the DOJ as a senior adviser. Habba plans to seek further review of the court's action, aiming for a different outcome.
Writing online, she wrote that the court "must not countermand the appointment of prosecutors tasked with carrying out the executive branch's core responsibility of enforcing the law."
Accomplishments Cited
Bondi praised Habba's record and noted that during her run, the state capital of Newark saw a 20% reduction in criminal activity. Additionally that the city of Camden recorded its first summer in 50 years free from homicides.
Legal Career
Habba, 41, first joined Donald Trump's lawyers in 2021. She went on to defended Trump in his hush-money trial in 2024, which resulted in his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Prior to her appointment to the federal prosecutor position, Trump had stated he was appointing her as his White House advisor in a potential future term, calling the lawyer as deeply loyal and a "tireless advocate for justice".
