Alina Habba was sworn in Friday as the new U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, officially taking over from John Giordano, who is departing the role after a brief tenure to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Namibia.
During the ceremony, President Donald Trump praised Habba as a “warrior” for the rule of law, while Habba pledged to “clean up New Jersey” in her new role.
“As a person who is a first-generation American, with parents who came in legally, I would like to say that I do not ever, ever take for granted that every dream that I ever could have imagined, I surpassed because of this administration, and President Trump,” Habba said.
The swearing in comes five days after Trump announced on social media that she would be taking over the role.
A native of Summit, New Jersey, Habba previously served as managing partner at Habba Madaio & Associates in Bedminster and has built a high-profile legal career representing Trump in various civil cases. A Lehigh University and Widener University School of Law graduate, she began her legal career at Tompkins, McGuire, Wachenfeld & Barry before rising to equity partner at Sandelands Eyet.
Habba recently represented Trump in three civil trials in federal and state courts in New York that ended in multimillion dollar judgments against him. She appeared in two trials for federal defamation lawsuits brought by author E. Jean Carroll, who alleges that Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in the 1980s. Juries in both trial found for Carroll and handed up a combined total of more than $88 million in judgments against Trump.
Habba was also part of Trump’s legal team for a civil fraud lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office in Manhattan Supreme Court, in which a judge ordered Trump to pay $500 million.
Trump is challenging all judgments on appeal.
Giordano, a Burlington County native and former partner at Archer & Greiner in Philadelphia, was appointed U.S. Attorney earlier this month. His extensive public service resume includes work as a federal prosecutor in Virginia, a senior DOJ environmental attorney, and a U.S. representative to the United Nations. In a statement Friday, he thanked President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi for the opportunity, calling it a great honor to serve his home state.
During his short time in office, Giordano prioritized prosecuting violent gangs, drug cartels, human trafficking networks, and cybercriminals, including the extradition of a dual Russian-Israeli national linked to the LockBit ransomware group, according to a press release announcing his departure. He also led efforts to secure convictions of individuals supporting ISIS, reinforcing his tough-on-crime approach, the release said.
As U.S. Attorney, Habba will oversee more than 150 federal prosecutors and over 100 members of support staff across Newark, Camden, and Trenton offices.
Andrew Denney contributed to this report.