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A high-stakes clash between the judiciary and the Trump administration intensified Tuesday as Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the firing of federal prosecutor Desiree Leigh Grace, whom New Jersey’s judges had named to replace Alina Habba as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
Habba — a former personal attorney to President Donald Trump and vocal political ally — was appointed as interim U.S. attorney by Trump in late March. Her term, under federal statute, is set to expire Friday unless extended or replaced. On Tuesday, Chief U.S. District Judge Renee Marie Bumb signed an order naming Grace as Habba’s successor.
But within hours, Bondi announced Grace had been dismissed by the Justice Department, calling the judges’ move “politically motivated” and warning that the department would not “tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bondi defended Habba, saying she had been “doing a great job making NJ safe again,” and accused the federal judiciary of blocking her continued service for political reasons. “The Department of Justice is reviewing legal mechanisms to reinstall Ms. Habba in this role,” a senior DOJ official told NBC News.
Backlash Over Judiciary’s Move
The unprecedented public feud centers on the limits of judicial authority in replacing a presidentially appointed U.S. attorney and the broader battle between the judiciary and the executive branch.
While federal law allows district court judges to appoint a U.S. attorney if no permanent appointment has been confirmed after 120 days, Bondi and her team argue that the process was exploited to remove a Trump-aligned prosecutor who had not yet exhausted her term.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche also weighed in on X, saying, “The rush to replace Alina reveals what this was always about: a left-wing agenda, not the rule of law.” He added that Habba still had time left in her term, noting that “district judges should not be swayed by political noise. Keep her in place.”
Habba’s Contentious Tenure
Habba’s brief tenure as U.S. attorney was marked by controversy. A frequent media presence, she attracted scrutiny for her prosecution of Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), whom she charged following a confrontation at an ICE detention facility in Newark.
McIver has since been indicted by a federal grand jury on three charges and pleaded not guilty. Democrats have labeled the case politically motivated, while Habba has maintained the charges were based solely on the law.
Despite the backlash, Bondi and Blanche insist that Habba retains the full confidence of DOJ leadership. “She’s doing the job — aggressively, independently, and by the book,” Blanche said Monday.
Nomination in Limbo
Trump formally nominated Habba to hold the position permanently, but the nomination has not advanced in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Democrats are expected to oppose her confirmation. Without Senate approval, her reinstatement may rely on a controversial and potentially unprecedented workaround — possibly involving another interim appointment or a recess designation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey did not respond to requests for comment. Grace, a career federal prosecutor with two decades of experience, has also not commented publicly.
A Constitutional Showdown Looms
The standoff represents a broader legal and political test of executive versus judicial authority. While Bondi accuses the judiciary of overreach, legal experts say the judges were well within their rights to name a replacement once Habba’s 120-day term was up.
Still, the firing of Grace — apparently to preserve Habba’s role — may further inflame tensions and prompt legal challenges. For now, the Trump administration appears determined to reinstall its preferred prosecutor, no matter the opposition.
As the situation evolves, the power struggle over one of the most influential federal prosecutor roles in the country may be headed toward a constitutional showdown.
