Habba accuses Grenell of not depositing Kennedy Center donation; Trump orders review

Mixed · 2Alina Habba, a former Trump personal attorney, told President Trump in the Oval Office on Friday that Ric Grenell, who led the Kennedy Center until March, failed to deposit a donation of about $5.6 million from her husband, Turkish investor Turhan Mildon, meant for the center. Axios first reported this on Wednesday. 1 2 Mixed · 2Trump directed White House Counsel Will Scharf to examine the allegations. A White House official confirmed the Oval Office meeting to the New York Post but did not share an assessment of whether the claim is true. 2 1 Mixed · 2According to Axios sources, Habba says Grenell persuaded Mildon in 2025 to fold the donation into a lump-sum $17.6 million payment tied to a business deal involving a U.S. company. A New York Post source said the transfer was in early 2025 and that the official did not know which company received the funds. 1 2

Mixed · 2Grenell, who is Trump's special envoy for special missions, denied wrongdoing. He called the claim "absurd" and said he never asked for money to be sent elsewhere or received any payment from Mildon, and he demanded proof. He repeated this on Wednesday in reply to an Axios reporter's social media thread. 2 3 Mixed · 2Habba and Mildon declined to comment to Axios through a spokesperson. Habba's attorneys plan to give the White House documents, and an administration official told the Post that Mildon's lawyers have already provided documentation. A White House official told Axios that the counsel had asked for documents and proof but none had come so far. 1 2 Left · 1Kennedy Center records, per officials cited by Axios, show Mildon owed only a $270,000 pledge, which was paid on Tuesday, and no record of anything near $5.6 million. Lisa Dale, who handled the center's finances at the time, said she had heard nothing about $6 million. Axios also reported that Habba's figure shifted from $17 million to $5.6 million, which a White House official said made the matter hard to track. 1 3

Mixed · 2Officials are split on the claim. The Post reported that three sources critical of Grenell doubt Habba's account, including a White House official who was "very skeptical it's true." Another source close to the administration believes it. An official told Axios that these are only allegations and could be a misunderstanding. 2 1 Mixed · 2The reasons for the falling-out are not clear. Axios sources said the couple's business relationship with Grenell frayed after Grenell lost an internal power struggle over Venezuela to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Post noted that Mildon has business interests in Venezuela, where interim president Delcy Rodriguez canceled his cement-plant contract in June and, per the New York Times, later paused the termination. 1 2