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Alina Habba signaled Thursday that she does not plan to leave her role as the temporary U.S. attorney of New Jersey, announcing she does "not cower" to pressure after federal judges voted against extending her term.
Habba, a former personal defense attorney to President Donald Trump, wrote in a statement online that she has been appointed the "acting" U.S. attorney, a shift from her prior job title.
"Donald J. Trump is the 47th President. Pam Bondi is the Attorney General. And I am now the Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey," Habba wrote. "I don’t cower to pressure. I don’t answer to politics. This is a fight for justice. And I’m all in."
A Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesman confirmed to Fox News Digital that Habba was now serving as the "acting" U.S. attorney, rather than the "interim" position that she previously held.
DOJ SWIFTLY FIRES ALINA HABBA'S COURT-APPOINTED REPLACEMENT
President Donald Trump stands alongside Alina Habba during her swearing-in ceremony as interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the White House on March 28, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The maneuvers by President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to keep Habba as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey are governed by a set of arcane federal vacancy laws.
Those same laws gave the New Jersey district court judges the authority to vote on whether to extend Habba's 120-day term or to replace her. They chose to replace her with Habba's No. 2, Desiree Grace, but Attorney General Pam Bondi promptly fired Grace, leaving open the question of who would take the role.
ALINA HABBA SAYS AMERICA WAS ‘OFF‑TRACK’ FOR A LONG TIME
Alina Habba speaks during a panel at the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Habba, a former personal attorney to President Trump, is now serving as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The DOJ has said Habba's term as "interim" U.S. attorney expires Friday.
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This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this report.
Ashley Oliver is a reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business, covering the Justice Department and legal affairs. Email story tips to ashley.oliver@fox.com.