The New Jersey US attorney's office was in embroiled in confusion and chaos on Tuesday when top Justice Department officials contested federal judges ' appointment of a new US attorney.
The federal judges dismissed Alina Habba 's request to maintain her position and exercised their unusual authority to select Desiree Leigh Grace , an experienced prosecutor whom Habba had previously appointed as her first assistant in March.
However, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a social media statement supporting Habba, announcing that Grace "has just been removed." Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, criticised the judges' actions, suggesting collusion with New Jersey's Democratic senators.
Grace received notification of her termination via email on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the situation, according to New York Times. This swift series of events could escalate into another full-blown clash between the Trump administration and federal judiciary.
The judges' ruling, following a private vote on Monday, challenged Trump's emphasis on loyalty within the Justice Department. Despite Grace's potential appointment requiring adherence to Washington's Justice officials, Tuesday's response indicated resistance to leadership not directly chosen by the president.
Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb, a George W. Bush nominee, signed Grace's appointment order. After Grace's dismissal, Bumb's office stated "the court will have no comment."
Who is Justice department backed Alina Habba?
Grace's career in the Newark office began in 2016, progressing from acting chief of violent crimes in August 2020 to criminal division chief in March 2024.
Habba, aged 41, served as one of President Trump's foremost legal allies, representing him in multiple high-profile civil and criminal cases. In 2023, she became counsel to Trump's Save America PAC and subsequently joined his inner circle as “counsellor to the president.”
Born in Summit, New Jersey, Habba graduated from Kent Place School in 2002. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from Lehigh University and a law degree from Widener University Commonwealth Law School. Before working with Trump, she specialised in civil litigation and corporate law in private practice. Habba also clerked for Judge Eugene J Codey Jr. at the Civil Division of the Superior Court in Newark and was formerly the managing partner at Habba Madaio & Associates in Bedminster.
A mother of three, Habba described herself at the Republican National Convention in July as a “devout Catholic, a proud first-generation Arab American woman and a feisty Jersey girl.”
Who is Federal Judges' choice Desiree Leigh Grace?
Desiree Leigh Grace, known as “Desi” to colleagues, is a seasoned federal prosecutor who joined the US attorney’s office for the District of New Jersey in 2016.
A graduate of the University of Maryland and Seton Hall Law School, Grace quickly rose through the ranks, leading the violent crimes unit in 2020 and later the criminal division, which she officially headed by March 2024, according to NYT.
She has handled major cases involving gang violence and health care fraud and received a standing ovation at a 2024 alumni dinner, underscoring her respect within the legal community.
Before joining the government, she clerked for top judges and worked at McCarter & English. In April 2025, Trump-appointed interim US attorney Alina Habba named Grace as her first assistant, a move widely supported within the office.
The federal judges dismissed Alina Habba 's request to maintain her position and exercised their unusual authority to select Desiree Leigh Grace , an experienced prosecutor whom Habba had previously appointed as her first assistant in March.
However, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a social media statement supporting Habba, announcing that Grace "has just been removed." Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, criticised the judges' actions, suggesting collusion with New Jersey's Democratic senators.
Grace received notification of her termination via email on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the situation, according to New York Times. This swift series of events could escalate into another full-blown clash between the Trump administration and federal judiciary.
The judges' ruling, following a private vote on Monday, challenged Trump's emphasis on loyalty within the Justice Department. Despite Grace's potential appointment requiring adherence to Washington's Justice officials, Tuesday's response indicated resistance to leadership not directly chosen by the president.
Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb, a George W. Bush nominee, signed Grace's appointment order. After Grace's dismissal, Bumb's office stated "the court will have no comment."
Who is Justice department backed Alina Habba?
Grace's career in the Newark office began in 2016, progressing from acting chief of violent crimes in August 2020 to criminal division chief in March 2024.
Habba, aged 41, served as one of President Trump's foremost legal allies, representing him in multiple high-profile civil and criminal cases. In 2023, she became counsel to Trump's Save America PAC and subsequently joined his inner circle as “counsellor to the president.”
Born in Summit, New Jersey, Habba graduated from Kent Place School in 2002. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from Lehigh University and a law degree from Widener University Commonwealth Law School. Before working with Trump, she specialised in civil litigation and corporate law in private practice. Habba also clerked for Judge Eugene J Codey Jr. at the Civil Division of the Superior Court in Newark and was formerly the managing partner at Habba Madaio & Associates in Bedminster.
A mother of three, Habba described herself at the Republican National Convention in July as a “devout Catholic, a proud first-generation Arab American woman and a feisty Jersey girl.”
Who is Federal Judges' choice Desiree Leigh Grace?
Desiree Leigh Grace, known as “Desi” to colleagues, is a seasoned federal prosecutor who joined the US attorney’s office for the District of New Jersey in 2016.
A graduate of the University of Maryland and Seton Hall Law School, Grace quickly rose through the ranks, leading the violent crimes unit in 2020 and later the criminal division, which she officially headed by March 2024, according to NYT.
She has handled major cases involving gang violence and health care fraud and received a standing ovation at a 2024 alumni dinner, underscoring her respect within the legal community.
Before joining the government, she clerked for top judges and worked at McCarter & English. In April 2025, Trump-appointed interim US attorney Alina Habba named Grace as her first assistant, a move widely supported within the office.
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