US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Alina Habba, his senior adviser and attorney, to serve as his counselor to the president. This announcement was made through a post on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social, on Sunday evening.
In the post, Trump praised Ms Habba as a “tireless advocate for justice” and a “fierce defender of the rule of law.”
“She has been unwavering in her loyalty, and unmatched in her resolve - standing with me through numerous ‘trials,' battles, and countless days in Court. Few understand the weaponisation of the ‘injustice' system better than Alina, who has fought relentlessly against the full force of lawfare with courage and an unshakable commitment to justice,” Trump wrote.
He also focuses on her status as a first-generation American with Middle Eastern heritage, which, he said, made her a role model for women in law and politics.
Who is Alina Habba?
Alina Habba is 40 years old. She is of Iraqi descent and belongs to the Chaldean community, which is Iraq's largest Christian denomination, recognised as one of the Catholic Church's Eastern rites, reported AP.
Ms Habba served as one of Donald Trump's defence attorneys in the New York hush-money case. She was also his legal spokesperson. Donald Trump became the first former American president to be convicted by a New York jury on 34 charges related to a scheme to influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actress.
She has been a close associate of Trump, frequently accompanying him on the campaign trail. She was a speaker at a rally in New York's Madison Square Garden in late October. She has spent significant time with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club since the election.
She has been a senior advisor for Donald Trump's Super PAC, MAGA, Inc. since 2021.
Alina Habba was recently named "Chaldean Woman of the Year," a recognition of her achievements and influence in her field.
