Donald Trump's own nominees are being forced to resign, and it's causing the president's former lawyer, herself an appointee, to panic Friday.
Julianne Murray, Trump's Acting US Attorney for the District of Delaware and Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General, announced her resignation early on Friday. She specifically said that she "naively believed" that Trump would be able to keep her in place.
"Unfortunately, that was not the case," she said. "The highly politicized, flawed blue slip tradition is costing Delaware a U.S. Attorney and is affecting the country as a whole."
She added, "Senator Coons and Senator Blunt Rochester refused to return a blue slip for political reasons, not performance reasons."
"This is not about advice and consent," she added. "Because of this incredibly flawed tradition, I wasn't even considered..."
Trump himself has railed against the blue slip tradition, which allows local lawmakers of the opposing party to weigh in on appointees in their regions, but this particular resignation made Habba raise an alarm.
"Another resignation from a well qualified US Attorney. This should not be happening," Habba said. "Julianne Murray was President Trump’s pick as US Attorney and served Delaware with dignity and focus on one mission- taking down crime."
Habb further added, "The political machine is attempting to erode the basic principals of our Department of Justice and separation of powers due to a broken tradition in Senate and rogue judges in blue states. Enough is enough!"
🚨Another resignation from a well qualified US Attorney. This should not be happening. Julianne Murray was President Trump’s pick as US Attorney and @Murray4DE served Delaware with dignity and focus on one mission- taking down crime. The political machine is attempting to erode the basic principals of our Department of Justice and separation of powers due to a broken tradition in Senate and rogue judges in blue states. Enough is enough!
— Alina Habba (@AlinaHabba) December 12, 2025