Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba is under increasing scrutiny after a federal judge ruled she has been serving without legal authority since July 1.
In a 77-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann said Habba “is not lawfully holding the office of United States Attorney.”
District judges had previously tried to remove her, but President Donald Trump extended her appointment another 120 days through interim measures.
Senators Tillis and Grassley Accused of Obstruction
Habba told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Chuck Grassley are blocking her Senate confirmation by refusing to advance her nomination out of the Judiciary Committee.
Bartiromo noted that Tillis has said he would oppose any nominee moved without a “blue slip,” making Habba’s nomination unlikely to advance with Democratic opposition.
Responding to the stalled process, Habba said opposition has “nothing to do with the work that we’re doing” and framed the battle as part of an effort to undermine Trump’s agenda.
“In the state of New Jersey in June alone, we arrested over 300 criminals, illegals, rapists,” Habba said. “The truth is … it has to do with trying to prevent President Trump from continuing his agenda, and it has to stop.”
Habba went further, calling out the senators by name: “Senator Tillis and Senator Grassley, you are becoming part of the issue. You are becoming part of the antithesis of what we fought for four years.”
She linked her situation to broader cases, referencing the appellate court’s decision to overturn a major penalty against Trump in New York, and argued her confirmation fight was about “U.S. attorneys across the country that just want to do right by Americans that voted for President Trump.”
🚨 BREAKING: Acting US Attorney Alina Habba just SLAMMED Thom Tillis and Chuck Grassley for blocking her confirmation
“I would say to Sen. Tillis and Sen. Grassley: YOU are becoming part of the issue. YOU are becoming part of the antithesis of what we fought for FOUR YEARS!”… pic.twitter.com/T5diuwqElG
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 24, 2025
Tillis Signals Continued Resistance
Tillis, who is retiring at the end of his Senate term, has said he will continue blocking nominees he considers unfit — particularly those who voiced support for January 6 defendants.
