John Giordano (lawyer)

John Giordano
Official portrait, 2025
United States Ambassador to Namibia
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 29, 2025[1]
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byRandy Berry
United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey
Interim
In office
March 3, 2025 – March 27, 2025
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byPhilip R. Sellinger
Vikas Khanna (acting)
Succeeded byAlina Habba (interim)
Personal details
Born (1975-02-11) February 11, 1975
PartyRepublican
EducationVillanova University (BA, JD)

John Giordano (born February 11, 1975)[2] is an American lawyer who has served as the United States ambassador to Namibia since October 2025. He previously served as the acting United States attorney for the District of New Jersey in March 2025.

Early life

Giordano grew up in Burlington County, New Jersey,[3] the son of Dorothy and Frank Giordano, a former president of Philadelphia's Union League and the Philly Pops.[4] He attended Villanova University for both his undergraduate education and law school, and he was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society in 1998.[5] After graduating, he clerked for Judge Joseph E. Irenas of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.[6]

Career

After finishing his clerkship, Giordano was an associate at the law firm DLA Piper before becoming a partner at Archer & Greiner, a firm in Philadelphia.[6] During the second term of President George W. Bush, Giordano served in the United States Department of Energy, U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division.[6][7]

In 2011, Giordano briefly ran for a seat on the Philadelphia City Council before dropping out.[8][9] After serving as deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Giordano worked as assistant commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Giordano also taught at the University of Pennsylvania Law School during this period.[6]

After Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Giordano assisted the first presidential transition of Donald Trump, serving as deputy general counsel.[7] In 2019, Trump appointed Giordano as an American representative at the 74th United Nations General Assembly.[6][7]

On March 3, 2025, United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Giordano as acting United States attorney for the District of New Jersey after New Jersey State Senator Doug Steinhardt declined the position.[3] Giordano succeeded Vikas Khanna, who had assumed the position upon the resignation of Philip R. Sellinger on January 8, 2025.[10]

On March 24, Trump announced that Counselor to the President Alina Habba would take over "effective immediately" as interim U.S. attorney, with Giordano potentially being nominated to become United States ambassador to Namibia.[11] Giordano continued to sign documents as U.S. attorney through March 27, and that day Bondi signed Habba's appointment, effective March 28, the day she was sworn in.[12][13]

Giordano was nominated to be United States ambassador to Namibia on April 29, 2025, and the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing on his nomination on July 29, 2025.[14]

Personal life

In 2017, Giordano married Yasmina Maracealle Moukarzel at Philadelphia's St. Mark's Episcopal Church.[4][15] In 2019, Giordano reportedly gave the Trump Victory team the largest single donation from the Philadelphia area, a total of $25,000.[4]

Giordano is a member of the White House Historical Association's National Council.[16] During the 2024 United States elections, Giordano made significant donations to Republican candidates, including Donald Trump's presidential campaign.[6]

References

  1. ^ https://na.usembassy.gov/ambassador-john-giordano/
  2. ^ Wildstein, David (March 2, 2025). "For N.J. U.S. Attorney slot, Trump loyalist from Philadelphia in the mix". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Wildstein, David (March 3, 2025). "Giordano sworn in as acting U.S. Attorney for N.J." New Jersey Globe. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Fiorillo, Victor (July 2, 2020). "Here's How Philly's Rich and Famous Are Spending Their Political Dollars". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  5. ^ "John Giordano Sworn In As 64th U.S. Attorney For District Of New Jersey". United States Department of Justice. March 5, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Wildstein, David (March 2, 2025). "For N.J. U.S. Attorney slot, Trump loyalist from Philadelphia in the mix". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Biryukov, Nikita (March 5, 2025). "New Jersey gets new chief federal prosecutor". New Jersey Monitor. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  8. ^ Shields, Jeff (January 31, 2011). "City Council races: Where the money is". Inquirer.com. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  9. ^ "PoliticsPA's Philly City Council Election Preview - PoliticsPA". www.politicspa.com. January 18, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  10. ^ United States Department of Justice (December 23, 2024). "U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger Announces His Resignation". United States Department of Justice. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  11. ^ Fox, Joey (March 24, 2025). "Trump names Alina Habba, his former defense lawyer, as interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  12. ^ Bondi, Pamela (March 27, 2025). "Order No. 6218-2025 Authorizing Alina Habba to be the Interim United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey During the Vacancy in that Office" (PDF). Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  13. ^ U.S. v. Giraud III, 1:24-cr-00768-MWB, doc. 144, 4 (D.N.J. August 21, 2025) ("Ms. Habba was formally sworn in to the Interim United States Attorney position by Attorney General Pamela Bondi pursuant to section 546(a) on March 28, 2025.9 Although the defendants contend that Ms. Habba's appointment should be considered effective on the date of President Trump's post, it is now clear that she did not assume the role of Interim United States Attorney until she was sworn in on March 28.10").
  14. ^ Library of Congress (July 29, 2025). "PN129-5 - Nomination of John Giordano for Department of State, 119th Congress (2025-2026)". Congress.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  15. ^ "Yasmina Moukarzel, John Giordano". The New York Times. October 1, 2017. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  16. ^ "John Giordano". White House Historical Association. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
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