Trump Attorney Alina Habba's Beauty Over Brains Comment Totally Backfires

Attorney Alina Habba seems destined to be forever remembered for her most famous client. Ever since Habba met Donald Trump and signed on to his legal team in 2021, she has been a prominent presence in court and on TV. Defending the former president in his numerous civil court cases, Habba has backed up his claims of political persecution in a crooked system. "What is being done to President Trump should terrify all citizens of this country," she said in a typical statement (via New York Post). "These are not the ideals that our democracy is founded upon. This is not our America."

Recently, one of her more personal statements has been getting attention. On January 5, 2024, Habba appeared on the current-events podcast "PBD Podcast," and the issue of her appearance came up. Co-host Adam Sosnick noted (per Newsweek) that she seemed like an unconventional choice of attorney for Trump, known for surrounding himself with "alpha male" types. "How much of you being an attractive, smart woman played into the role of this?" he asked. Habba bluntly admitted her looks worked to her advantage. "I'll tell you something," she added. "Somebody said to me, 'Alina, would you rather be smart or pretty,' and I said, 'Oh easy, pretty. I can fake being smart.' I mean that's the honest truth."

That honesty is earning her a load of snark online, with some casting doubt on Habba's attractiveness, and others on her role as the former president's advisor.

Ron Filipkowski, a frequent critic of Donald Trump, posted a clip on X (formerly Twitter) of Trump attorney Alina Habba admitting her looks helped her advance in her career. Followers have been having a field day, with many declaring they don't think Habba is pretty enough to warrant much attention. Others poked fun at her legal prowess. "Her interviews are more honest than her court filings," chortled a commenter. A fellow attorney called her "Legally Bland."

Other X users are incensed at Habba's message itself. One said, "Not only does this reinforce the idea that women need to conform to certain beauty standards to be successful, but it also trivializes the hard work, qualifications, and skills of women who achieve success in their fields." Another opined that her success probably has more to do with her willingness to defend a man notorious for demanding loyalty. "Habba is an employee of Trump ... she conforms to Trump's standards, not necessarily those of anyone else ... and certainly does not meet the standards anyone would want of an attorney if in the same legal quandary that Trump is in."

Habba did go on to say in the podcast that her appearance had nothing to do with her hiring. Being attractive "can also mean that people think you're stupid or people think that President Trump hired me because I was good-looking," she said. "That is absolutely not the case."