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Trump stands by Alina Habba as DOJ clashes with judges over her replacement
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President Donald Trump is doubling down on his nomination of Alina Habba after federal judges in New Jersey declined to extend her term as interim U.S. attorney, and instead chose to replace her with a different prosecutor, whom the DOJ subsequently fired.
The unusual chain of events has led to confusion over who will become the next interim U.S. attorney in the District of New Jersey, as Habba’s 120-day term is set to expire this week.
A White House spokesman said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital that Trump supports Habba becoming the permanent U.S. attorney, a position that requires Senate confirmation.
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President Donald Trump listens as White House Presidential Counselor Alina Habba delivers remarks before being sworn in as the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in the Oval Office at the White House on March 28, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
«President Trump has full confidence in Alina Habba, whose work as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey has made the Garden State and the nation safer,» White House spokesman Harrison Fields said. «The Trump Administration looks forward to her final confirmation in the U.S. Senate and will work tirelessly to ensure the people of New Jersey are well represented.»
But Habba’s vote in the Senate does not appear to be happening anytime soon, if at all. New Jersey’s two Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, are currently blocking Habba’s nomination through the Senate’s «blue slip» tradition, and a person familiar with the process said the Senate has not received materials needed to vet her nomination in any case.
In the meantime, arcane laws surrounding the authority to fill federal vacancies have become pertinent.
Trump appointed Habba as the temporary U.S. attorney in March, but that term expires on Friday, according to the Department of Justice. Statutes indicate that federal judges have the authority to extend an interim U.S. attorney’s term or vote on replacing that person.
The district court judges of New Jersey, most of whom were appointed by Democratic presidents, convened behind closed doors on Monday and chose to replace Habba with her top assistant, Desiree Grace, a career DOJ prosecutor since 2016. Grace rose through the ranks to become head of the criminal division in New Jersey before becoming Habba’s No. 2 in April.
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Trump lawyer Alina Habba speaks at a campaign rally for then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 29, 2024. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
However, Attorney General Pam Bondi alleged that the judges infringed on Trump’s authority to appoint U.S. attorneys by voting to replace Habba. Bondi said she «removed» Grace in response to the judges’ actions.
«[Habba] has been doing a great job in making NJ safe again,» Bondi said in a statement. «Nonetheless, politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position, replacing Alina with the First Assistant. Accordingly, the First Assistant United States Attorney in New Jersey has just been removed.»
Grace could not be reached for comment. An anonymous source with knowledge of the matter told the New York Times that Grace received an email Tuesday informing her that she was fired.
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In this Sept. 4, 2018, photo, Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. speaks during the committee’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s nominations hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)
A Habba spokeswoman told Fox News Digital that Habba is still the interim U.S. attorney through Friday. But the tension between the DOJ and the judges leaves open the question of who will assume the role come Saturday.
Booker said that firing a court-appointed U.S. attorney was part of a «pattern» of the DOJ flouting the law.
«The firing of a career public servant, lawfully appointed by the court, is another blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesn’t agree with them and undermine judicial independence,» Booker wrote on X.
Booker is among the critics who have deemed Habba unqualified for the job. Habba, who served as Trump’s legal spokeswoman and personal defense lawyer during his criminal prosecutions, had no experience as a prosecutor before Trump appointed her as lead prosecutor in New Jersey.
Upon taking the job, Habba was accused of politicizing the role after she advocated turning New Jersey «red,» and she drew a rare rebuke from a judge for ordering Newark’s Democratic mayor arrested and then quickly dismissing the charges.
But Trump and DOJ leadership are standing firmly by Habba. The Trump administration found a workaround in the Northern District of New York when John Sarcone’s term as U.S. attorney recently expired there, but it is unclear if a similar option is available for Habba.
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Anne Joseph O’Connell, a Stanford Law School professor, wrote on Bluesky that she believed Trump had the authority to fire Grace and possibly re-appoint Habba to serve out another temporary term.
«The question now is, will they name Habba to a new 120-day interim US attorney appointment or will they turn to the Vacancies Act and name a different person as acting U.S. attorney,» O’Connell wrote.
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Marjorie Taylor Greene urges Trump to commute George Santos’ federal prison sentence: ‘Far worse offenses’
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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is urging that President Donald Trump commute former Rep. George Santos’ seven-year sentence, calling the punishment «a grave injustice» and an «abusive overreach by the judicial system.»
The former New York congressman was sentenced to 87 months, or just over seven years, after pleading guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos reported to prison on July 25 to begin serving his sentence.
Santos was assessed the maximum sentence in April by U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert. He was also ordered to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and forfeit more than $205,000 in fraud proceeds.
Santos’ guilty plea followed an investigation into campaign finance fraud, donor identity theft and false COVID-era unemployment claims.
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On Monday, Greene said in a post on X that she sent a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney urging Trump to commute Santos’ sentence.
«A 7-year prison sentence for campaign-related charges is excessive, especially when Members of Congress who’ve done far worse still walk free,» she wrote in the post. «George Santos has taken responsibility. He’s shown remorse. It’s time to correct this injustice. We must demand equal justice under the law!»
Greene addressed her letter to the Honorable Edward R. Martin Jr., pardon attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and she acknowledged the gravity of the actions by her former colleague.
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Former U.S. Rep. George Santos arrives to court in Central Islip, N.Y., Aug. 19, 2024. (Stefan Jeremiah/AP Photo)
«As a Member of Congress, I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication to serve the people of New York who elected him to office,» she wrote. «He is sincerely remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, my office has spoken with a pastor of his who discussed the regret and remorse of Mr. Santos, agreeing that the sentence imposed is a grave injustice.
«While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges,» Greene continued. «I strongly believe in accountability for one’s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.»
Prosecutors shared how Santos and his campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, doctored donor reports to qualify for national Republican Party funding. They fabricated contributions from Santos’ family and falsely reported a $500,000 loan from Santos, though he had under $8,000 in his accounts.
TRUMP COMMUTES SENTENCE OF MAJOR POLITICAL DONOR IN LATEST ROUND OF CLEMENCY
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-S.C., is urging President Donald Trump to commute the seven-year sentence of former Rep. George Santos, who was sentenced for wire fraud and identity theft. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
He also stole credit card information from donors, including «victims he knew were elderly persons suffering from cognitive impairment or decline» and made unauthorized charges to fund both campaign and personal expenses, according to the DOJ. Santos also used a fake political fundraising company to solicit tens of thousands of dollars, which he spent on «designer clothing.»
During the pandemic, Santos fraudulently claimed over $24,000 in unemployment benefits while employed at an investment firm. He also submitted false congressional financial disclosures to the House.
Santos was elected in 2022 after flipping New York’s 3rd District for the GOP. His resumé was easily debunked. He falsely claimed academic degrees, Wall Street jobs and family ties to the Holocaust and 9/11.
He was expelled from Congress in December 2023 after a scathing ethics report, becoming just the sixth member ever removed from the People’s House.
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Santos has remained publicly active after his sentencing, selling video messages on Cameo and making social media posts.
Unless pardoned, Santos is expected to remain incarcerated until at least early 2032. He has reportedly appealed to President Donald Trump for clemency.
Greene and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
donald trump,republicans,george santos,white house
La experiencia de navegar por internet en Rusia se ha transformado en una rutina cada vez más limitada y vigilada. Plataformas como YouTube que no cargan, páginas de medios independientes que no se muestran o redes móviles que se interrumpen por horas ya no son fallos técnicos, sino manifestaciones concretas de una política deliberada del Kremlin.
El presidente Vladimir Putin instó al gobierno a “reprimir” los servicios de Internet extranjeros y ordenó a los funcionarios elaborar una lista de plataformas de estados “hostiles” que deberían ser restringidas.
Desde hace más de una década, el gobierno ruso ha desplegado una estrategia progresiva para someter el espacio digital a su control. A través de una combinación de legislación restrictiva, vigilancia masiva y presión sobre empresas tecnológicas, busca asegurar que el contenido disponible en línea se adecue a los lineamientos oficiales. Esta tendencia se intensificó tras las protestas de 2011-2012, cuando internet fue una herramienta clave para la organización ciudadana y la crítica al poder.
El objetivo es claro: construir una infraestructura digital que pueda ser aislada del resto del mundo. En paralelo, se han perfeccionado herramientas de inspección profunda de paquetes (DPI) y sistemas de censura selectiva, inspirados en el modelo chino del “Gran Cortafuegos”.
La invasión a gran escala de Ucrania en 2022 aceleró este proceso. X, Facebook, Instagram, Signal y otros servicios quedaron bloqueados. También se intensificó la persecución del uso de redes privadas virtuales (VPN), las únicas herramientas capaces de sortear las restricciones.
El acceso a YouTube, plataforma utilizada tanto para el entretenimiento como para el activismo opositor —incluido el canal de Alexei Navalny—, fue limitado intencionalmente. Según el Kremlin, la interrupción se debió a la falta de mantenimiento de equipos por parte de Google, pero expertos en derechos digitales señalan que se trató de una acción deliberada.
Empresas como Cloudflare y proveedores occidentales de servicios de alojamiento web también han sido objeto de restricciones, forzando a muchos sitios rusos a trasladarse a servidores nacionales, donde la vigilancia y el control estatal son mayores.
Una reciente legislación rusa amplía la criminalización de búsquedas en línea de materiales considerados “extremistas”. La definición es amplia e incluye desde contenidos LGBTQ+ hasta las memorias de Navalny. Aunque todavía es difícil rastrear búsquedas individuales a gran escala, los expertos advierten que unos pocos juicios bastan para sembrar el miedo.
El uso de WhatsApp, que tenía más de 97 millones de usuarios mensuales en abril, también está en la mira. Legisladores oficialistas amenazan con su posible bloqueo y promocionan MAX, una nueva aplicación de mensajería nacional creada por la red social VK. La aplicación, todavía en etapa beta, permite enviar mensajes, pagar servicios y acceder a trámites estatales, pero establece que los datos de los usuarios pueden ser compartidos con las autoridades.
Además, una nueva ley exige que MAX venga preinstalada en todos los smartphones vendidos en Rusia, mientras se incentiva a instituciones públicas y empresas a migrar sus comunicaciones a esta plataforma.
El Estado también ha avanzado en consolidar el ecosistema técnico de la red. Aumentó drásticamente el costo de las licencias para proveedores de internet y concentra más de la mitad de las direcciones IP en siete grandes empresas, entre ellas Rostelecom, de propiedad estatal.
Según Human Rights Watch, estas medidas buscan sofocar la infraestructura independiente, y reflejan años de aprendizaje técnico y adaptación del gobierno ruso. La combinación de sanciones occidentales y la salida de empresas tecnológicas tras la invasión a Ucrania ha facilitado este proceso.
Aunque Rusia aún no ha alcanzado el nivel de aislamiento digital de China, se acerca cada vez más. Las interrupciones puntuales de servicios como WhatsApp y Telegram durante el último julio podrían ser ensayos para bloqueos futuros.
El abogado y activista Sarkis Darbinyan advierte que el único modo de imponer aplicaciones como MAX será “cerrar y sofocar” toda alternativa extranjera. Sin embargo, recuerda que los hábitos de uso de internet no se transforman fácilmente: “Estos hábitos se adquirieron durante décadas, cuando internet era rápido y libre”.
Desde el punto de vista técnico, Roskomnadzor —el ente regulador estatal— ha logrado avances en la vigilancia y censura del tráfico digital, refinando métodos de inspección y estrangulamiento selectivo del contenido.
Expertos y organizaciones de derechos humanos califican el avance del Kremlin como una “muerte por mil cortes”. En lugar de un apagón abrupto, la estrategia de Moscú apunta a un control paulatino, multifacético y profundo. En ese camino, Rusia está construyendo una red paralela, cerrada al escrutinio externo, y sometida al poder estatal.
El resultado es un ecosistema digital en retroceso, donde el acceso a información libre se reduce progresivamente y donde las consecuencias por buscar, leer o compartir ciertos contenidos pueden ser graves. Un internet cada vez menos global y más ruso.
(Con información de AP)
Europe,Government / Politics,MOSCOW
INTERNACIONAL
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En 1945, Estados Unidos lanzó dos bombas nucleares sobre las ciudades de Hiroshima y Nagasaki el 6 y el 9 de agosto, respectivamente, causando la muerte de más de 200.000 personas. Foto EFE
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