Alina Habba, formerly President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, was officially sworn in on Friday as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. The unconventional ceremony, attended by Trump and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, featured a passionate speech from Habba in which she praised Trump, thanked her family, and promised to reform how federal laws are enforced in her home state.
“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.” She then vowed to “clean it up” and declared she would “make New Jersey great again,” echoing the president’s signature message.
Her appointment comes after the brief tenure of John Giordano, who is now set to serve as U.S. ambassador to Namibia. While U.S. Attorneys are typically seasoned federal prosecutors, Habba’s new role represents a bold political move by the Trump administration that is already drawing sharp reactions. A prominent civil litigator and regular television presence, Habba has never tried a criminal case or worked within the Department of Justice. Nonetheless, she has long been one of Trump’s most visible and vocal legal defenders, standing by him in both courtrooms and the media throughout his first and second presidencies.
“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. Asked 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 noted on X earlier this week after Trump announced her appointment: “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. 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.”
