Trump's former lawyer leaves her post following court rules against her appointment.
The former personal attorney for Donald Trump has left her position as the chief federal prosecutor in the state. This decision was prompted by a court battle that questioned her legal standing to occupy the role.
Acceptance of Resignation
The head of the Justice Department, the Attorney General, accepted her stepping down on the start of the week. In a statement that the judicial decision made it unworkable for the official to perform her duties.
"But do not mistake following the order as giving up," she wrote. "The effort will now extend throughout the nation."
Judicial Challenge
The departure comes a week after a federal appellate panel ruled that she had been acting without proper authority as the top prosecutor. This ruling is likely to affect scores of criminal cases in the state.
The appellate judges declared that a acting appointment that did not receive confirmation by the US Senate breached the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.
Next Steps and Responses
The Attorney General added that Habba will stay on at the justice department as a high-level advisor. She will pursue additional appeals of the disqualification, in the hope of achieving a overturned decision.
Writing online, Bondi contended that judges "must not countermand the President's choice of prosecutors entrusted with performing the primary duty of the administration of prosecuting crime."
Accomplishments Cited
She praised her tenure and said that under her leadership, the city of Newark saw a significant drop in offenses. Additionally that the city of Camden experienced its first summer in half a century without a homicide.
Connection to Donald Trump
Habba, 41, was initially recruited to the former president's legal defense in 2021. Subsequently, she defended her client in his business records case in 2024, which resulted in his conviction on multiple felony counts of falsifying business records.
Before assuming the role of US Attorney, Donald Trump had revealed he was naming her as his presidential counsellor in a potential future term, labeling Habba as "unwavering in her loyalty" and a "tireless advocate for justice".
