Former President Donald Trump has named his longtime attorney, Alina Habba, as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, effective immediately.

Habba, who has been serving as Counselor to Trump, steps into the role following John Giordano’s nomination as U.S. Ambassador to Namibia. Trump announced the appointment on Truth Social, expressing confidence in her ability to serve. In response, Habba posted on X, stating she was “honored” and committed to ensuring justice is upheld.

A New Jersey native of Iraqi descent, Habba has built a legal career closely aligned with Trump’s interests. Recently recognized as “Chaldean Woman of the Year,” she has been active in law and politics.

After graduating from Kent Place School in 2002, she earned a political science degree from Lehigh University in 2005. She initially worked in the fashion industry at Marc Jacobs before shifting to law, obtaining a degree from Widener University in 2010. Habba later clerked for Judge Eugene Codey Jr. in New Jersey’s Superior Court and eventually launched her own law firm in 2020.

Habba became part of Trump’s legal team in 2021, reportedly after meeting him at his Bedminster golf club. She has represented him in several legal battles, including defamation and fraud cases. Notably, she defended him in a lawsuit by Summer Zervos, a former contestant on “The Apprentice,” and his legal action against The New York Times and Mary Trump over tax record disclosures.

Her legal work extended to Trump’s New York civil fraud trial, where he was found liable for inflating property values. She also served as part of his defense team in the New York hush-money case, where Trump was convicted on 34 felony charges related to payments made before the 2016 election.

During these cases, Habba frequently clashed with judges, notably Lewis Kaplan in the E. Jean Carroll defamation trial and Arthur Engoron in Trump’s fraud case. She also played a key role in questioning Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, leading to his admission of perjury.

Beyond legal defense, Habba has been a close Trump ally, appearing alongside him on the campaign trail. She spoke at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden and has served as a senior advisor for MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump political action committee, since 2021.

Her appointment as interIm U.S. Attorney for New Jersey positions her in a critical legal role as Trump continues his political comeback efforts.