# Alina Habba A former personal defense lawyer for [[Donald Trump]] and White House counselor appointed interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey in 2025. Her tenure became a legal flashpoint when the district's federal judges declined to extend her appointment past the interim period, triggering a standoff with the administration over control of the office. ## Trump v. Clinton sanctions Habba was lead counsel on [[Trump v. Clinton]], the 2022 racketeering suit Trump brought against [[Hillary Clinton]] and more than two dozen others over the 2016 Russia investigation. On January 19, 2023, Judge [[Donald Middlebrooks]] held Trump, Habba and her firm Habba Madaio & Associates jointly and severally liable for **$937,989.39** in the defendants' fees and costs, finding the suit had been filed in bad faith for an improper purpose; a separate Rule 11 order penalized Trump's attorneys $50,000 plus $16,274.23. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed both orders on November 26, 2025. It is the largest litigation-conduct sanction on record against a U.S. president and his counsel, and it preceded her appointment to federal office by roughly two years. ## See Also - [[Trump v. Clinton]] - [[Donald Middlebrooks]] - [[Lawfare]]