Alina Habba, who previously served as a personal lawyer for President Trump and worked as a White House counselor, was sworn in on Friday as the top federal prosecutor for New Jersey.
Habba was known for defending Trump in court and in the media. She represented him in important New York civil trials, including a case about business fraud and defamation and sexual assault lawsuits filed by advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. Habba’s team lost in each of these cases, with Carroll winning nearly $100 million in two jury trials.
Before her swearing-in at the Oval Office, Trump praised Habba for helping to fight what he called the “corrupt and grotesque weaponization of our justice system.” He appointed her to the role earlier this week, saying, “She’ll be as good as it gets.” Attorney General Pam Bondi administered the oath.
Habba, a New Jersey native and first-generation American, became involved with Trump’s legal team when she took over a defamation lawsuit filed by Summer Zervos, a former contestant on “The Apprentice.” Zervos later dropped the case.
In another case involving Trump’s 2016 presidential rival, Hillary Clinton, and many others, Habba was fined nearly $1 million by a federal judge for misusing the courts.
Over time, Habba became a strong supporter of Trump in the media. She represented him in the New York civil fraud case, where he was ordered to pay $454 million for exaggerating his net worth, and in the defamation and sexual assault lawsuits from Carroll, who won nearly $100 million in two jury trials.
Habba later served as Trump’s legal spokesperson, a senior adviser for his campaign, and eventually as a counselor to the president in the White House.
Normally, U.S. attorneys are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, but the president can appoint an interim prosecutor when the position is vacant.
Habba spoke on Friday about the difficult times she and Trump had been through, especially as he faced criminal charges and multiple lawsuits. She said she “lost faith” in the justice system during those struggles, but added, “This man kept fighting for America, and I’m just so honored that now I get to fight for the state of New Jersey.” Habba promised to “do a good job” and “clean it up,” vowing to make New Jersey “great again.”
