Judge Rules Trump Trio Unlawfully Leading NJ US Attorney's Office

Federal judge rejects administration's attempt to bypass Senate confirmation for top prosecutor role

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A federal judge ruled that the trio of officials tapped by the Trump administration to succeed former U.S. Attorney Alina Habba in leading the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's office are doing so unlawfully. The judge rejected the government's assertion that Attorney General Pam Bondi had the authority to skip Senate confirmation and hand-pick the replacements, calling it a 'novel series of legal and personnel moves' aimed at skirting congressional approval.

Why it matters

The ruling is the latest in a series of legal challenges to Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys across the country, with several others previously being found to be serving unlawfully. The judge warned the administration that any further attempts to unilaterally fill the role would face 'extremely strict scrutiny' and could result in the dismissal of cases.

The details

The three officials - Philip Lamparello, Jordan Fox and Ari Fontecchi - were tapped by Bondi to split the duties of the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey after Habba stepped down in December. However, the judge found their appointments to be unlawful, saying the 'work of the USAO-NJ is simply too important to continue throwing novel leadership plans at the wall to see what will stick.'

  • Habba was disqualified as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in a previous ruling by the judge.
  • Bondi appointed the trio of officials to replace Habba in December 2025.
  • The judge issued his latest ruling on the trio's unlawful leadership on March 9, 2026.

The players

Matthew Brann

A U.S. District Judge who ruled that the trio of officials tapped to succeed Alina Habba are leading the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's office unlawfully.

Alina Habba

The former U.S. Attorney for New Jersey who was previously disqualified from the role by the judge.

Pam Bondi

The Attorney General who appointed the trio of officials to replace Habba without Senate confirmation.

Philip Lamparello

One of the three officials tapped by Bondi to lead the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's office.

Jordan Fox

One of the three officials tapped by Bondi to lead the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's office.

Ari Fontecchi

One of the three officials tapped by Bondi to lead the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's office.

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What they’re saying

“Judges may continue to try and stop President Trump from carrying out what the American people voted for, but we will not be deterred.”

— Alina Habba (X)

“The unconstitutionality of this complete overreach into the Executive Branch, time and time again, will not succeed. They would rather have no U.S. Attorney than safety for the people of NJ.”

— Alina Habba (X)

“Judges do not fire DOJ officials, AG Pam Bondi and POTUS do – get in line.”

— Alina Habba (X)

What’s next

The judge paused his decision to boot the three officials, dubbed the 'triumvirate,' pending appeal over the 'novelty' of the legal questions. However, he warned the Trump administration against leaving them in their roles, saying 'If the Government chooses to leave the triumvirate in place, it does so at its own risk.'

The takeaway

This ruling is the latest in a series of legal challenges to Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys across the country, highlighting the administration's efforts to bypass congressional approval in filling these critical law enforcement roles. The judge's warning about the risks of leaving the 'triumvirate' in place underscores the high stakes involved in this ongoing power struggle between the executive and judicial branches.