A veteran federal prosecutor was appointed Monday as U.S. attorney for New Jersey, ending a dispute between the judiciary and President Donald Trump over control of the office that included the disqualifications of the administration's previous picks for the position.
A U.S. District Court judge issued a one-sentence order naming Robert Frazer as the top federal prosecutor in the state — the result of an agreement between federal judges and the U.S. Department of Justice.
“The Department of Justice thanks the district court for working with the Department to appoint Robert Frazer to serve as US Attorney so that once again criminal prosecutions can resume without needless challenge or delay on behalf of the people of New Jersey," the department said in a statement.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann disqualified three Justice Department officials who were sharing authority over the office, saying they were appointed in an illegal power grab by the Trump administration. They replaced Trump's first choice for U.S. attorney, his former personal attorney Alina Habba, whom Brann barred from the job last year because she had stayed too long without Senate confirmation.
The three officials — Philip Lamparello, Jordan Fox and Ari Fontecchio — had been appointed to replace Habba indefinitely, in an unusual move by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
In a court hearing last week, another federal judge in New Jersey ordered the three to answer his questions under oath and threw another government official out of the proceeding in frustration over the Justice Department's chaotic oversight of federal prosecutions in the state.
Habba, who is now a senior adviser at the Justice Department, congratulated Frazer in a social media post Monday, saying “New Jersey deserves a great chief federal law enforcement official who is in line with President Trump's agenda of making this country safe and NJ great!”
Frazer, who had been serving as senior trial counsel in the New Jersey U.S. attorney's office, did not immediately return an email message Monday.
The judiciary and Trump's administration have been odds over the process for selecting U.S. attorneys, who ordinarily must undergo Senate confirmation to stay in their positions.
Judges have ruled, in separate cases, that people installed as the top federal prosecutors for Nevada, Los Angeles and northern New York were all serving unlawfully.
Lindsey Halligan, who pursued indictments against a pair of Trump’s adversaries, left her position as acting U.S. attorney in Virginia after a judge concluded in November that her appointment was unlawful. The judge also ruled that indictments she brought against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey must be dismissed.
In some instances, judges have exercised their power under the law to appoint U.S. attorneys to oversee prosecutor offices until one of the president’s picks is confirmed by the Senate. The Justice Department has responded by immediately firing those judicial appointees.
Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
FILE - President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in for Alina Habba as interim US Attorney General for New Jersey, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, March 28, 2025. (Pool via AP, file)
FILE - Alina Habba, President Donald Trump's pick to be the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, speaks with reporters outside the White House, March 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
ROME (AP) — Coach Gennaro Gattuso acknowledged that only “someone without blood running through their veins” wouldn’t feel nervous as Italy attempt to avoid failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
Gattuso is still just as feisty and gritty as when he played on the Italy team that won the country’s fourth World Cup in 2006.
Ahead of Thursday’s playoff match against Northern Ireland, he also suggested he sent home talented winger Federico Chiesa in what could amount to a definitive break with the standout player of the European Championship trophy run five years ago.
“It’s undeniable that there’s nervousness,” Gattuso said Monday. “Only someone without blood running through their veins wouldn’t feel it. But we need to do a good job of transmitting a lot of positivity.”
Positivity, however, is not what describes Italy’s performances in the playoffs for the previous two World Cups, when the Azzurri were eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively.
Italy is in jeopardy at the same stage for the coming World Cup in North America after two losses to Norway in qualifying. The Azzurri need to beat Northern Ireland at home in Bergamo and then Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away next week to avoid going at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer’s biggest event.
“There are no alibis,” Gattuso said. “It’s useless to think if we could have done better. The only thing we should be thinking about is Thursday’s game. Forget that we’ve won four World Cups, two Euros and an Olympic title. For us, the only game is Thursday’s.
“All of the players that are here today know what we’re playing for and how important it is.”
Chiesa was sent back to Liverpool upon briefly rejoining the national team for the first time after an almost two-year absence.
“He had some minor (phyisical) issues and we decided that it was useless for him to stay,” Gattuso said.
But then why are other injured players like Sandro Tonali, Gianluca Scamacca and Alessandro Bastoni staying with the team? Especially after Gattuso announced when he took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June that injured players would remain with the squad to improve team spirit.
“Because not every player has the same frame of mind,” Gattuso said. “When I hear that someone is wavering that’s when I know I need to make a choice. We decided it together. He felt he wasn’t up to it and he went home. I need to accept it.”
Bologna winger Nicolò Cambiaghi has replaced Chiesa.
Chiesa has played only sparingly since joining Liverpool from Juventus two years ago and started only one Premier League match this season.
Northern Ireland also lost a key player Monday when center back Daniel Ballard was ruled out with an injured hamstring. The Sunderland defender is among the few with Premier League experience on Northern Ireland's team.
Conor Bradley, Northern Ireland's captain and a Liverpool right back, was already out injured.
Since Gattuso was not able to convince soccer authorities to set up a training camp in the four months since Italy last played, he and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon embarked on a tour up and down Italy — plus trips to London, Saudi Arabia and Qatar — to share dinners with the squad players in order to maintain team spirit.
“There was no white board or markers,” Gattuso said. “We didn’t go to talk about football or tactics. … We were there to create team unity.”
Gattuso said he chose to play in Bergamo’s 23,500-seat stadium to create a more positive atmosphere. When Italy lost to Norway at the San Siro in November, he noticed that AC Milan and Inter Milan fans would whistle at players from opposing clubs.
“At the first errant pass you start hearing the whistles,” Gattuso said. “Whereas when we played in Bergamo we got cheered at halftime when it was 0-0.”
Italy led Norway 1-0 at halftime in November before Norway scored four second-half goals — including a brace by Erling Haaland.
“I really worked a lot over these months at dealing with adversity. One event shouldn’t change the dynamics of a match,” Gattuso said. “It depends on how you react and deal with it.”
The playoff comes following a string of successes in other sports by Italians — from the Winter Olympics to Formula 1 to tennis, volleyball and even baseball.
“These things go in cycles,” Gattuso said. “When I see us winning in other sports it gets me motivated. It makes me feel pride. … Right now our history tells us that we’re struggling. But we’ve got a big chance here to reach our goal.”
If Italy does qualify for the World Cup, it will be in Group B with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the Italian team press conference in Florence, Italy, Monday, March 23, 2026. (Lapresse via AP)
Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the Italian team press conference in Florence, Italy, Monday, March 23, 2026. (Lapresse via AP)
Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the Italian team press conference in Florence, Italy, Monday, March 23, 2026. (Lapresse via AP)
FILE - Liverpool's Federico Chiesa enters to the pitch during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Burnley in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)
FILE -Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the 2026 World Cup Group I qualifier soccer match between Italy and Norway in Milan, Italy, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
FILE - Italy's Federico Chiesa celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during an Euro 2024 group C qualifying soccer match between Italy and North Macedonia, at the Olympic Stadium stadium in Rome Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
