New Jersey

A New Jersey prosecutor selected by judges to replace President Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney, Alina Habba, said Wednesday she is prepared to assume the role, despite having been fired by top Justice Department (DOJ) officials a day earlier.

Desiree Grace, the prosecutor, said in a LinkedIn post that she’s honored by her appointment “on merit” and is ready to begin serving “in accordance with the law.”

“I’ve served under both Republican and Democratic administrations,” she wrote in the lengthy post. “I’ve been promoted four times in the last five years by both — including four months ago by this administration. Politics never impacted my work at the Department. Priorities change, of course, and resources are shifted, but the work and the mission were steady.”

Grace’s intention to abide by the judges’ order heightens the standoff with senior Justice Department officials in Washington, who have doubled down in support of Habba continuing to lead the U.S. attorney’s office for New Jersey.

A former personal lawyer to Trump, Habba’s 120-day interim term is set to expire this week. Her trial period has at times been contentious; two Democratic public officials faced criminal charges over an incident at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility under her leadership.