WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump 's former personal lawyer, Alina Habba, said on Thursday that she would seek to remain as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey despite a judicial decision this week not to extend her appointment. Habba's statement marked the latest challenge by the Trump administration to oversight by federal courts.

The federal district court in New Jersey appointed Alina Habba's deputy, Desiree Leigh Grace, to serve as U.S. attorney.

Habba has been serving as New Jersey's interim U.S. attorney since her appointment by Trump in March, but was limited by law to 120 days in office unless the court agreed to keep her in place. The U.S. Senate has not yet acted on her formal nomination to the role, submitted by Trump this month.

President Donald Trump’s fraught effort to install political appointees in permanent roles as US attorneys across the country gained momentum this week, as Republicans work to jumpstart a stalled confirmation process in the Senate,