The White House is seeking evidence after Alina Habba alleged that a multimillion-dollar donation intended for the Kennedy Center had not been deposited, escalating a dispute involving former Trump adviser Ric Grenell and Habba’s billionaire husband, Turhan Mildon.
According to Axios, cited by KosovaPress, Habba, a former lawyer for US President Donald Trump, claims that Grenell, who previously led the Kennedy Center, failed to deposit a contribution Mildon had planned to make to the institution approximately a year ago.
The amount in question has reportedly varied in different accounts, ranging from $5.6 million to $17 million, with other sources putting it at around $6 million.
Kennedy Center records show that Mildon had pledged $270,000, which was paid on October 13. However, the institution has no record of a separate $5.6 million contribution.
Habba alleges that Grenell persuaded her husband to include the intended donation in a $17.6 million payment connected to a business deal with an American company. Her lawyers reportedly plan to submit documents to the White House to support claims that money intended for the Kennedy Center was instead directed to a private company. No evidence has been submitted to the White House so far, according to the report.
Grenell has denied the allegations, saying he never asked for money to be redirected elsewhere under the pretext that it was intended for the Kennedy Center. He also said he had not received any payment from Mildon.
The dispute intensified after business relations between Grenell and Mildon deteriorated. The two reportedly had shared business interests in Venezuela.
Habba informed Trump about the matter on October 9. A White House official told Axios that the president was concerned about the possibility of missing funds but did not want to become involved in the dispute.
The White House counsel has requested evidence as officials seek to establish whether any money is actually missing. The allegations have not been substantiated, and the available records do not establish that a multimillion-dollar donation was misappropriated.
The controversy adds to ongoing disputes surrounding the Kennedy Center and comes amid tensions among figures close to Trump. One person familiar with the president’s circle described the conflict as a bitter feud within the MAGA movement.
