U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi took swift action Tuesday after a panel of federal judges in New Jersey voted to end Alina Habba’s tenure as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
In response, Bondi terminated Habba’s court-appointed replacement, Desiree Leigh Grace, hours after the decision was announced.
The move followed a coordinated pressure campaign reportedly led by House Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who urged federal judges to remove Habba from her position after she indicted Rep. LaMonica McIver.
The so-called U.S. Attorney in NJ maliciously indicted Congresswoman LaMonica McIver for doing her job.
Alina Habba is a woefully unqualified political hack who has to go.She must be rejected by the Federal District Court judges who are considering whether to retain her.…— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries) July 18, 2025
According to court documents, Habba’s interim term was set to expire Friday at 11:59 p.m.
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A group of federal judges, including several appointed during the Obama and Biden-Harris administrations, voted on Tuesday not to extend her term.
🚨BREAKING - Federal judges in New Jersey DECLINED to extend Alina Habba's appointment as interim U.S. Attorney. pic.twitter.com/iM6nofppVD
— The Patriot Oasis™ (@ThePatriotOasis) July 22, 2025
The order was signed by Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb, appointing First Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Leigh Grace as her replacement, effective immediately.
By Tuesday afternoon, Bondi had issued a statement confirming she had removed Grace from the role.
“@USAttyHabba has been doing a great job in making NJ safe again. Nonetheless, politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position, replacing Alina with the First Assistant,” Bondi stated.
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“Accordingly, the First Assistant United States Attorney in New Jersey has just been removed.”
.@USAttyHabba has been doing a great job in making NJ safe again. Nonetheless, politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position, replacing Alina with the First Assistant.
Accordingly, the First Assistant United States Attorney in New Jersey has just…— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) July 22, 2025
The decision to fire Grace came just hours after the court’s announcement, signaling the Department of Justice’s disapproval of what Bondi described as political interference.
“This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers,” Bondi added.
The internal shakeup comes in the wake of Habba’s decision to bring charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver, a Democrat lawmaker representing New Jersey.
The indictment drew national attention and sparked backlash from Democratic leadership, including Minority Leader Jeffries, who reportedly lobbied for Habba’s removal.
The situation escalated after Jeffries reached out to federal judges, pressing them to take action against Habba.
On Tuesday morning, the judges voted to remove her from the interim post, and the court announced Grace’s appointment later that day.
The Department of Justice has not yet announced a new interim appointment for the U.S. Attorney position in New Jersey.
Habba, a prominent attorney known for her legal work in high-profile federal cases, was appointed to the interim role earlier this year.
The termination of Grace underscores the ongoing tensions between the executive branch and certain federal courts, particularly in high-stakes legal and political matters.
Bondi’s remarks suggested the Justice Department views the court’s decision as a challenge to presidential appointment authority under Article II of the Constitution.
The removal of both Habba and Grace leaves the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey temporarily vacant.
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Hakeen Jeffries is a snake in the grass, pushing judges to decide based on the political views of the Democrats. Judges should not bow to the likes of him, and they are supposed to be neutral, but it is plain to see that this is not the case. Habba has done a good job while being in the position, being fair most of all. How is it that Hakeen has become so rich in just a few years serving in the House??
Someone in the Trump administration must discover a way to eliminate the plethora of crooked judges appointed by the Obama/Biden criminal administrations. Roberts is an abysmal failure, and impeachment takes too long to accomplish.
Good job Bondi. Fight fire with fire.
Fighting fire WITH fire, comes to mind….