Alina Habba Claps Back After Judge Rules Against Her Appointment [WATCH]

Alina Habba, President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney in New Jersey, pushed back Sunday against Senate opposition and a recent federal court ruling that deemed her appointment unlawful, saying she “won’t be intimidated” as the dispute over her nomination intensifies.

Appearing on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with host Maria Bartiromo, Habba criticized the Senate’s longstanding “blue slip” tradition, which allows home-state senators to approve or block federal judicial and U.S. attorney nominees before they move forward to confirmation votes.

“This tradition that Sen. [Chuck] Grassley is upholding effectively prevents anybody in a blue state from going through to the Senate to then be voted on,” Habba said.

“Senator Booker and Senator Kim had absolutely every right to vote no for me for the U.S. attorney position, but I had the right, as the nominee, to get in front of Senate and to be voted on, to be vetted. I never even got there.”

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New Jersey’s two Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, objected to Habba’s nomination.

Their opposition effectively blocked her confirmation under the custom, which has been used for decades by both parties.

The controversy escalated last week after a federal judge ruled that Habba’s recess appointment to serve as acting U.S. attorney was unlawful because it circumvented the Senate confirmation process.

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President Trump has repeatedly criticized the blue slip practice, calling it a partisan tool that allows Democrats to obstruct nominees in states they control.

“Chuck Grassley, who I got re-elected to the U.S. Senate when he was down, by a lot, in the Great State of Iowa, could solve the ‘Blue Slip’ problem we are having with respect to the appointment of Highly Qualified Judges and U.S. Attorneys, with a mere flick of the pen,” Trump wrote in a July Truth Social post.

“Democrats like Schumer, Warner, Kaine, Booker, Schiff, and others, SLEAZEBAGS ALL, have an ironclad stoppage of Great Republican Candidates.”

🚨 BREAKING: President Trump calls on Senator CHUCK GRASSLEY of Iowa – “who I got reelected” – to IMMEDIATELY fast-track his federal judicial nominees “with a mere flick of the pen.”

“Put simply, the President of the United States will never be permitted to appoint the person of… pic.twitter.com/ROYWzVGs89

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 29, 2025

Grassley, who serves as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, defended the custom in remarks last month. He acknowledged Trump’s criticism but said he would not move to eliminate the tradition.

“I was offended by what the president said,” Grassley told committee members.

“And I’m disappointed that it would result in personal insults.”

Grassley has long maintained that the blue slip system preserves bipartisan consultation between presidents and senators when filling key positions in the judiciary and U.S. attorney offices.

Habba, however, said the custom has been weaponized against nominees in Republican administrations.

She noted that the tradition is not enshrined in law and argued that senators should not be able to block candidates before a formal hearing or vote.

The standoff has created uncertainty around the leadership of the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey.

Until the Senate acts on a formal nomination, the post will remain filled by a temporary appointee under Department of Justice protocols.

The dispute comes as Trump continues efforts to place his nominees in federal posts despite resistance in Democratic-led states.

The outcome of Habba’s case is expected to influence future debates over the role of Senate traditions in the appointment process.

🚨 BREAKING: President Trump calls out BY NAME Senator Chuck Grassley for refusing to allow his judges and US attorneys (Alina Habba) to get confirmed.

WHY IS HE DOING IT?

TRUMP: Tell the Democrats, “GO TO HELL!”

“Chuck Grassley should allow strong Republican candidates to… pic.twitter.com/1WATiHtu06

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 25, 2025