Alina Habba, former personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, has resigned as acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey after an appeals court ruled that she was serving unlawfully.
Eko Hot News reports that Habba announced her resignation on Monday, stating she stepped down to protect the integrity of the office. She added that her decision should not be seen as a retreat, saying it “will not weaken the Justice Department and it will not weaken me.”
The Justice Department confirmed that Habba’s duties will now be shared among three officials while the legal process continues.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the department will seek further review of the appeals court’s ruling. She noted that Habba could return to the position if the decision is overturned.
The resignation follows a ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the Trump administration violated federal law by using procedural manoeuvres to install Habba in the office without Senate confirmation.
Habba addressed the situation on Sunday during an interview at the Kennedy Centre Honours, acknowledging that the court’s ruling presented a serious challenge but insisting that the fight would continue.
She was the first Trump-appointed U.S. attorney to face a legal challenge to her appointment. Since then, courts have also deemed three other Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys to be serving unlawfully.
Judges have criticised the administration’s use of acting appointments, stating the method allowed appointees to bypass Senate confirmation and serve indefinitely.
