President Trump appointed his former personal lawyer Alina Habba, one of his staunchest defenders, as the interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey on Monday.
“Alina will lead with the same diligence and conviction that has defined her career, and she will fight tirelessly to secure a Legal System that is both ‘Fair and Just’ for the wonderful people of New Jersey,” Trump posted on TruthSocial.
Current interim U.S. attorney John Giordano will be nominated for the ambassador to Namibia in southwestern Africa, the president said.
Trump previously tapped Habba, 41, as White House counselor after November’s election.
“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,” Habba posted on X.
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Alina Habba speaks to the media outside the White House on Monday. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Earlier this month, she defended the administration’s attempts to fire federal employees and military veterans.
“Perhaps they’re not fit to have a job at this moment, or not willing to come to work,” she said.
Habba, a New Jersey native, previously worked in commercial and civil litigation and reportedly became part of Trump’s circle after joining his Bedminster golf club. She went on to represent him in his lawsuit against the New York Times and niece Mary L. Trump, who had leaked his taxes to the publication. That case was dismissed.
She also represented Trump in a defamation suit filed by Summer Zervos, a former “Apprentice” contestant who accused him of sexual assault. Zervos settled the case for $0.
A judge later fined both Habba and Trump $1 million after dismissing a “completely frivolous” lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and dozens of others.
She then acted as his legal spokesperson after his criminal indictments and during his New York civil fraud trial, where Trump was ordered to pay $454 million for falsely inflating his net worth. She also represented him in his defamation case against E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of rape. Carroll eventually won two jury trials and was awarded nearly $90 million.
The president is appealing both cases.
The criminal indictments were dismissed after Trump was re-elected.
The appointment comes days after a federal judge transferred the case of Mahmoud Khalil to New Jersey. Habba will now lead his prosecution and the attempt to deport the Columbia alum and green-card holder over his campus activism.
With News Wire Services
