President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Alina Habba has been disqualified from serving as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor after a US appeals court upheld a lower‑court ruling. The decision, handed down by the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, represents a significant rebuke of the administration's manoeuvres to keep her in the role despite her interim appointment expiring without Senate confirmation.
The panel of judges, which included appointees from both Republican and Democratic presidents, concluded that Habba's tenure was unlawful. In a 32‑page opinion, the court wrote that while the administration had faced barriers in placing its preferred candidates, 'the citizens of New Jersey and the loyal employees in the US Attorney's Office deserve some clarity and stability'. It affirmed: 'We will affirm the District Court's disqualification order.'
