Robert Frazer, a career prosecutor who has served in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey for more than two decades, has been appointed as the top federal prosecutor in the state. The chief judge for the district signed a one-sentence order Monday appointing Frazer, who most recently served as senior trial counsel. The appointment followed consultations between the District Court and the Justice Department's senior leadership, according to a letter from an assistant U.S. attorney in the office.
The appointment brings to a close nearly a year of upheaval in New Jersey's federal prosecutor's office, which saw multiple leadership disputes between the Trump administration and the state's federal judiciary. The Justice Department thanked the New Jersey judges for working with the department to appoint Frazer so that 'criminal prosecutions can resume without needless challenge or delay.'
What the Left Is Saying
New Jersey's two Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, issued a joint statement Monday night criticizing the administration for its handling of the U.S. attorney appointment process. 'For over a year, the Trump Administration did everything in its power to circumvent the law and sideline the Senate's constitutional role to advise and consent on U.S. Attorneys,' the senators said, while adding that they look forward to meeting with Frazer. The senators emphasized that the office can now 'move past the chaos and partisanship of the past year' and return to its core mission of combating violent crime, fighting public corruption, dismantling drug trafficking networks, and protecting the rights of all New Jerseyans.
Progressive critics have argued that the administration's repeated attempts to install political loyalists in key law enforcement positions threatened the independence of federal prosecutors. The series of appointments that were subsequently ruled unlawful by courts only deepened concerns about executive overreach into the judicial process.
What the Right Is Saying
Alina Habba, who served as interim U.S. attorney and is now a senior adviser to Attorney General Pam Bondi, congratulated Frazer on his appointment, saying he will be 'a great champion of this state and the mission' of the Justice Department. In her post, Habba suggested that the judges had worked constructively with Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to reach the appointment. Blanche reposted Habba's message.
Conservative supporters have defended the administration's approach to filling U.S. attorney positions, arguing that the president has broad authority to appoint interim prosecutors during transitions. The administration has maintained that its appointments were lawful, even as multiple courts ruled otherwise in New Jersey and other districts.
What the Numbers Show
The leadership dispute spanned approximately 12 months, beginning when President Donald Trump named Alina Habba as interim U.S. attorney in March 2025. Her Senate nomination was never acted upon, and after 120 days her interim position expired. When federal judges in New Jersey appointed Desiree Leigh Grace to the post, Attorney General Pam Bondi immediately fired her, calling the judges' appointment 'politically minded.' The administration then attempted to re-appoint Habba, a move U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann found unlawful. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Brann's ruling.
Similar disputes occurred in other districts. In the Eastern District of Virginia, a federal judge ruled that Lindsey Halligan was unlawfully appointed. In the Northern District of New York, prosecutor Donald Kinsella was fired immediately after judges appointed him to replace Trump's interim pick.
The Bottom Line
Robert Frazer's appointment marks the end of a turbulent period for New Jersey's federal prosecutor's office, but it also highlights ongoing tensions between the executive and judicial branches over appointment authority. The Justice Department has thanked the district court for its cooperation in this appointment, suggesting a path forward. Senators Booker and Kim have indicated they intend to meet with Frazer, potentially setting the stage for a permanent nomination process. The broader pattern of appointment disputes in multiple federal districts suggests this conflict may not be limited to New Jersey.