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Alina Habba has stepped down as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor. This follows a judicial decision that questioned her right to occupy the role.

Acceptance of Resignation

The head of the Justice Department, the Attorney General, announced Habba's resignation on Monday. In a statement that the appeals court finding made it "untenable" for Habba to effectively run her office.

"Do not interpret compliance for surrender," she wrote. "The effort will now stretch across the nation."

Judicial Challenge

The departure follows closely on a federal appellate panel found that she had been unlawfully serving as the top prosecutor. This decision is likely to affect scores of legal proceedings in New Jersey.

The appellate judges declared that a interim role that did not receive confirmation by the US Senate breached the statute on vacant positions.

Ongoing Legal Battle

The Attorney General added that the former prosecutor will stay on at the DOJ as a top consultant. She will challenge the decision of the disqualification, aiming for a overturned decision.

Writing online, the Attorney General wrote that the judiciary "must not second-guess the appointment of attorneys tasked with performing the fundamental role of the presidency of criminal prosecution."

Performance in Office

Bondi commended her tenure and said that under her leadership, the city of Newark saw a one-fifth decrease in criminal activity. It was also reported that the city of Camden had its first summer in 50 years without a homicide.

Background and Previous Role

Habba, was initially recruited to Trump's personal legal team in 2021. She later defended her client in his New York criminal case in 2024, when he was conviction on 34 counts of financial record manipulation.

Earlier, assuming the federal prosecutor position, the former president had revealed he was appointing her as his White House advisor during his second administration, calling the lawyer as "unwavering in her loyalty" and a relentless legal advocate.