Alina Habba, former President Donald Trump's attorney, told Newsmax on Tuesday that the Justice Department may seek criminal charges against her client, saying, "They'll look at it, but they're going to have to go for a long haul."
When asked on "Wake Up America" if she thinks Trump will face criminal charges after the Jan. 6 committee's referral to the Justice Department, Habba said, "I think they'll do anything to try and stop Trump at the moment."
She added: "Do I think [Attorney General] Merrick Garland will do it? I don't know. I think Merrick Garland right now is hiding behind the special counsel … so we'll see."
Habba added: "It's going to be a long process. This is a recommendation, then the recommendation has to go to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice would have to open up their own investigation and then proceed to put the pieces together.
"They're not going to use somebody else's evidence or facts. Of course, they'll look at it, but they're going to have to go for a long haul. This is not something that just happens very quickly."
Habba also said that this is an "intentional" attempt to attack Trump before the 2024 presidential election.
"There's never been a sitting president that's been more attacked and then a president who after his tenure has been [subject to] more attacks," Habba said. "Most presidents leave the office and then they go to a peaceful place with their Secret Service [detail] for the rest of their lives and play golf.
"President Trump is very unique character because he still has another term ahead of him, potentially, and that scares them. I think that if he wasn't such a threat … this wouldn't be happening."