Attorney General Pam Bondi has enlisted federal law enforcement to locate a person who allegedly ‘threatened’ Alina Habba, the acting New Jersey Attorney. The suspect, whose identity remains unknown, reportedly attempted to ‘confront’ Habba on Wednesday evening, according to Bondi’s post on X. She also mentioned that the individual caused property damage and vowed that her office would apprehend them. Habba responded to the situation by posting on X, stating, ‘I will not be intimidated by radical lunatics for doing my job.’
According to a source close to Habba, the acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey was not present in her office when the incident occurred. However, it remains unclear how the unauthorized individual accessed the seventh floor. Bondi emphasized in her Thursday post on X that any form of violence or threats against federal officers is unacceptable, noting a troubling trend of attacks on law enforcement agents nationwide.
Bondi reassured that the Justice Department is fully equipped to locate the suspect and protect federal prosecutors and agents. Habba previously served as Counselor to the President during the initial months of Donald Trump’s presidency and was a prominent defense attorney in his personal legal battles. She also played a significant role as a campaign surrogate during the latter part of the 2024 election cycle.
In late March, Habba was sworn in as interim US Attorney for the District of New Jersey – her home state. This kick-started a 12-day term that expired in late July and led to legal disputes over whether she could continue in her capacity as top attorney in New Jersey. Habba is just the latest MAGA-aligned individual to receive threats or experience acts of violence against them.
Republicans have complained that left-wing violence has been on the rise and point to the September assassination of conservative luminary Charlie Kirk, who was an ally of Trump and the MAGA agenda. Habba is also an outspoken Trump ally who is now in a top attorney role.
A panel of judges for the District of New Jersey declined to extend Habba’s interim term in July and appointed her first assistant, Desiree Leigh Grace, to lead the office instead. Just hours later, Bondi fired Grace and said the judges were interfering with the President’s Article II powers.
Then the White House withdrew Habba’s Senate nomination and placed her in an ‘acting’ capacity under the federal vacancy rule. She then had 210 days from that point to stay in that role, giving her 98 days left in the acting role as of Thursday.
