Trump Ally Alina Habba Launches Public Bid for Attorney General Role

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Alina Habba, a former personal lawyer for former President Donald Trump, is publicly lobbying to replace Pam Bondi as the next U.S. Attorney General. Bondi was fired on Thursday after a tumultuous year leading the Department of Justice, where she faced criticism for mishandling the release of the Epstein files and failing to prosecute Trump's political enemies. With the AG position now open, the 42-year-old Habba is wasting no time in making a play for the job, posting photos with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office and touting her qualifications, despite graduating from a lower-ranked law school.

Why it matters

Habba's public campaign for the AG role highlights the continued influence of Trump's inner circle in the MAGA 2.0 administration, even as the former president faces mounting legal troubles. Her potential appointment would raise concerns about the independence and integrity of the Department of Justice, given her close ties to Trump and lack of experience at the highest levels of federal law enforcement.

The details

Alina Habba, a former personal lawyer for Donald Trump, is aggressively lobbying to replace Pam Bondi as the next U.S. Attorney General. Bondi was fired on Thursday after a tumultuous year leading the DOJ, where she faced criticism for mishandling the release of the Epstein files and failing to prosecute Trump's political enemies. With the AG position now open, the 42-year-old Habba is wasting no time in making a public play for the job. She quickly posted a photo of herself, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office, along with a caption stating it was 'always an honor.' Habba has known Trump since 2021, when he hired her from a small New Jersey law firm to help represent him in multiple cases, including his hush-money conviction in New York. She recently divorced her millionaire husband and purchased a home in Florida near Mar-a-Lago.

• Pam Bondi was fired on Thursday as U.S. Attorney General.
• Alina Habba posted her Oval Office photo on Friday, launching her public campaign for the AG role.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Trump has installed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, another former personal defense lawyer of his, as acting head of the DOJ while he considers permanent replacements, including Habba and Fox News host Jeanine Pirro.