Alina Habba, former personal attorney to President Trump, has resigned as Acting US Attorney for New Jersey following a decisive appellate court order. She says her decision stems from a desire to protect the office’s integrity, and warns observers, “Do not mistake compliance for surrender.” Despite the setback, Habba will continue at the Department of Justice in a new advisory capacity.

A recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit has nullified Alina Habba’s claim to be acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, despite support from President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi. This ruling exposes how Trump’s approach to bypassing congressional input on certain appointments faced a legal roadblock.

Alina Habba has denounced certain members of the judiciary as “rogue judges” following a decision that found she had been serving without legal authority. Now, the Department of Justice has declared its intention to appeal, setting the stage for an escalating legal conflict.