Mar 24, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Trump stacks DOJ with his former personal lawyers

Sareen Habeshian

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 30: Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom during his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City. The second day of jury deliberations in the hush money trial of the former president are underway. Michael Cohen's $130,000 — President Trump sits in Manhattan Criminal Court in May 2024 alongside attorney Emil Bove. Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

President Trump on Monday appointed Alina Habba to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey — making her the latest of his personal lawyers to gain a government position.

Why it matters: The president has made clear his desire to have loyalists in top law enforcement positions to carry out his agenda, which could include investigating adversaries.

The big picture: Trump has given top administration roles, including the nation's highest law enforcement role — U.S. attorney general — to lawyers who have defended him in court.

Before her appointment Monday, Habba had been serving as counselor to the president since the start of Trump's second term.

Zoom in: Habba represented Trump in some of his most high-profile civil cases, including the civil defamation and sexual assault lawsuits brought by writer E. Jean Carroll.

Pam Bondi, now U.S. Attorney General, has routinely come to Trump's aid when he's faced legal jeopardy and was part of his impeachment team for his Senate trial in 2020.
Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who both represented him in several criminal cases, were also appointed to No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the Department of Justice.
Bove, acting deputy attorney general, was among the DOJ officials pushing to drop charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams in a dramatic battle between the Trump loyalists and career civil servants.
Blanche, the lead attorney in Trump's New York hush money trial, is now his deputy attorney general.

Zoom out: Dean John Sauer, another of Trump's attorneys, was tapped for solicitor general after representing Trump in his Jan. 6 case, in which the Supreme Court ruled that presidents have legal immunity for "official acts."

If confirmed by the Senate, Sauer would represent the U.S. at the Supreme Court and lead staff at the DOJ who handle litigation involving the federal government.

The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Go deeper: Trump moves closer to court crisis

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Trump stacks DOJ with his former personal lawyers

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