Federal judges told Habba has full confidence of Trump

A top Justice Department official has told the chief judge of the U.S. District Court of New Jersey that President Donald Trump has complete confidence in Alina Habbas, the U.S. Attorney, and wants the judges to extend her stay in office when they meet at 10 AM on Monday, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

Amping up the pressure to retain Habba, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche told Renee Bumb, the state’s chief federal judge, that the White House believes Habba has done a good job and remains the choice of the president.  He reportedly told Bumb that Habba also remains the top choice of the Justice Department.

In a social media post, Blanche said Habba “has brought steady leadership and sound judgment as interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey.”

“She has the full confidence of @POTUS and DOJ,” Blanche stated. “District judges should use their authority to keep her in place.”

On Saturday, Bumb sent a confidential email to the other federal judges from New Jersey summarizing her conversation with Blanche.

Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Habba on March 24, three weeks after she had named John Giordano to the post.  Her 120-day stint ends on Tuesday.

Blanche’s call to Bumb represented a significant push to keep Habba in the post.  If a majority of the judges back Habba, she could remain in office through the end of the Trump presidency, effectively sidestepping the need to win Senate confirmation; that was the same path Craig Carpenito used to serve as U.S. Attorney during Trump’s first term.

Habba’s nomination by President Donald Trump has stalled in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats Cory Booker and Andy Kim have said they won’t sign off on her.

The New Jersey Globe first reported the judicial meeting and the possibility of a choice between two potential candidates, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace and former U.S. District Court Judge Noel Lawrence Hillman, both registered Republicans.

In closed-door remarks to her staff on Thursday, Habba said she was unsure about her future, but expressed hope that she would be able to stay.   There was one account that suggested it was a farewell speech, but others have disputed that.

Once the federal judges pick someone, they can remain in office until the U.S. Senate confirms another nominee.  While Bondi lacks the legal authority to fire the judges’ choice, Trump could do so directly.

Sources who spoke only on the condition of anonymity said some federal judges have had direct conversations with candidates who would like to replace Habba.

Of the seventeen sitting District Court judges from New Jersey, fifteen were nominated by Democratic presidents – five by Barack Obama and ten by Joe Biden – and two by Republican George W. Bush, including Bumb.

Among the many ambiguities of the federal law is whether the four senior status judges – three nominated by Bush and one by Bill Clinton – have a vote in a process that typically doesn’t involve more than one candidate.  That may be up to the chief judge, Renee Bumb.

The judicial meeting is closed to the public, and it’s unlikely that a vote tally – if one is taken at all – will be made public.

Giordano was instead nominated to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Namibia and is awaiting Senate confirmation.

This story was updated at 6:49 PM with a statement made by Blanche on X.