Trump taps Attorney Alina Habba as his counselor

US President-elect Donald Trump has named Alina Habba to serve as counselor in his upcoming administration

Dhaka, Dec 09 - President-elect Donald Trump has named Alina Habba, one of his defense attorneys in the New York hush money case, to serve as counselor to the president in his upcoming administration.

Habba, 40, has been a staunch advocate for Trump, acting as both his legal representative and spokesperson earlier this year. Since the election, she has frequently been at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, accompanying him during his post-election activities.

“She has shown unwavering loyalty and unmatched resolve, standing by me through countless legal battles and challenges,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Few understand the weaponization of the justice system better than Alina.”

Alina Habba represented Trump during his high-profile legal proceedings this year. In May, Trump became the first former U.S. president to be convicted of felony charges, found guilty on 34 counts related to a hush money payment during the 2016 election to a porn actor alleging a past affair.

Habba, who has Chaldean Christian roots from Iraq, follows in the footsteps of Kellyanne Conway, who held the counselor position during Trump’s first term. She also played an active role on the campaign trail and spoke at a late-October rally in Madison Square Garden, New York.

In addition to Alina Habba’s appointment, Trump announced two other key positions on Sunday. Michael Anton, a former National Security Council spokesman, will return as director of policy planning at the State Department. Meanwhile, Michael Needham, a former chief of staff to Sen. Marco Rubio, will serve as counselor to the State Department. Rubio, the Florida senator, has been tapped by Trump as the next secretary of state.

Source: With inputs from agencies

-UNB