Alina Habba blasts 'rogue judges' for ruling against her role in NJ: 'I am the pick of the president'

Former Trump lawyer Alina Habba called the ruling political, accusing Judge Matthew Brann and others of disregarding the president’s authority
PUBLISHED AUG 23, 2025
Trump pick Alina Habba criticized federal judges after a court ruled she was unlawfully serving as New Jersey’s top prosecutor (Getty Images)
Trump pick Alina Habba criticized federal judges after a court ruled she was unlawfully serving as New Jersey’s top prosecutor (Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: President Donald Trump’s appointee Alina Habba has lashed out at federal judges after they ruled she was unlawfully serving as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor.

The former personal lawyer to Trump said the decision was politically motivated and accused judges of ignoring the president’s authority.



 

Alina Habba says Donald Trump chose her to lead

Alina Habba spoke out on Fox News’ 'Hannity' after US District Judge Matthew Brann ruled she had no authority to continue serving as US acting attorney for New Jersey once her 120-day interim term ended. Brann’s order came despite Donald Trump’s backing for her to stay on as interim US attorney.

White House Presidential Counselor Alina Habba delivers remarks before being sworn in as the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in the Oval Office at the White House on March 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Habba is a former personal attorney for President Donald Trump. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
White House Presidential Counselor Alina Habba delivers remarks before being sworn in as the interim US Attorney for New Jersey in the Oval Office at the White House on March 28, 2025 in Washington, DC Habba is a former personal attorney for President Donald Trump (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“I am the pick of the president,” Habba said on 'Hannity' Thursday night. “I am the pick of Pam Bondi, our attorney general, and I will serve this country like I have for the last several years, in any capacity,” she added.

Judge Matthew Brann, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, issued the decision just weeks after several judges appointed under Presidents Joe Biden and Barak Obama voted to end her tenure.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 02: Former U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event for Arizona Democrats at Cesar Chavez High School on November 02, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. Obama campaigned for Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Katie Hobbs. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Former US President Barack Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event for Arizona Democrats at Cesar Chavez High School on November 02, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Alina Habba calls federal judges ‘rogue’

Alina Habba accused judges of abandoning their duty to the law.

“It’s disturbing, what we’re seeing,” she told Hannity. “And Pam Bondi called it like it is. The attorney general said it today: We will not fall to rogue judges. We will not fall to people trying to be political when they should just be doing their job—respecting the president. And you can’t get rid of the president,” Habba said.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 29: Alina Habba leaves Trump Tower on May 29, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)
Alina Habba leaves Trump Tower on May 29, 2024 in New York City (James Devaney/GC Images)

She had continued serving after Pam Bondi fired first assistant US attorney in New Jersey, Desiree Leigh Grace, who by law should have been acting US attorney when the position became vacant.

Court rules Alina Habba had no authority to prosecute

The Department of Justice said Donald Trump had withdrawn Alina Habba’s nomination to be the permanent US attorney but noted that she had been appointed first assistant US attorney, which allowed her to replace Desiree Leigh Grace.

Judge Matthew Brann disagreed and sided with defendants in criminal cases who challenged her authority. The ruling affected two cases, including one involving a man accused of a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 14: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks he meets with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador in the Oval Office of the White House on April 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump and Bukele were expected to discuss a range of bilateral issues including the detention of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who has been held in a prison in El Salvador since March 15. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump speaks he meets with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador in the Oval Office of the White House on April 14, 2025 in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“Faced with the question of whether Ms Habba is lawfully performing the functions and duties of the office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, I conclude that she is not,” Brann wrote in his 77-page opinion.

Internet says loyalty to any person must not come before Constitution after Alina Habba ruling

The court ruling and Habba's reaction sparked sharp debate online.

“Respect for the Constitution must come before loyalty to any leader. That’s how democracy stays strong,” wrote one user on X.



 

Another said, “So they want a judiciary like Russia, where judges just rubber-stamp Putin’s demands.”



 

One person commented, “Judges serve the law, not any individual, no matter how powerful. Their duty is to uphold the Constitution, not to be loyal foot soldiers to Trump.”



 

Another added, "I mean, being smart is not something MAGA values. Being pretty for a few years will make you enough money to last the rest of your life. She's just playing the table."



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online

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