US President Donald Trump has found himself in the middle of a serious conflict between two of his close aides, after allegations that $5,6 million, allegedly intended for the Kennedy Center in Washington, disappeared during his tenure. Richard Grenell at the head of that institution.
The British "Daily May" writes that Trump called Grenell by phone from the Oval Office in order to confront him with the accusations brought against him by Alina Haba, a lawyer who previously represented him.
According to American media, Haba told the president that her husband, Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon, allocated 5,6 million dollars as a donation to the Kennedy Center last year, but that this money was never recorded in the institution's account.
Grenell categorically rejected the accusations, calling them absurd and untrue.
"I never asked for one cent to be sent elsewhere under the pretense that it was intended for the Kennedy Center, nor did I receive any payment from it," Grenell told Axios, demanding evidence for the allegations.
Trump ordered an inspection
According to Axios, which first reported the story, Trump ordered White House counsel Will Scharf to investigate the case.
In the meantime, Mildon's lawyers, according to the "New York Post" and "Daily Mail", submitted documentation that they try to support the claims about the disputed transaction.
At the heart of the case is a 2025 business arrangement worth approximately $17,6 million involving Mildon and an American company. According to Haba's claims, Grenell convinced her husband to allocate $5,6 million to the Kennedy Center as part of that arrangement.
However, there is no trace of such a donation in the institution's financial records.
Former Kennedy Center finance officer Lisa Dale said the filing contained only Mildon's commitment for a $270.000 donation, which has since been settled.
So far, it has not been established whether the disputed 5,6 million dollars were actually paid, to whom the money was eventually forwarded, and whether there was even an obligation to donate that amount to the Kennedy Center.
In the background and jobs in Venezuela
The case also has an international dimension, as Grenell and Mildon had common business interests connected to Venezuela.
As Trump's special envoy, Grenell participated in diplomatic contacts with the then-government of Nicolas Maduro, while Mildon had significant business interests in that country, including the management of state cement plants.
According to American media, relations between the two former associates deteriorated after political changes in Venezuela and disputes over Mildon's business contracts.
The conflict drew additional attention because Grenell and Haba were close until recently. Grenell, however, did not attend her lavish wedding to Mildon last month.
One source close to Trump's environment described their conflict to "Axios" as a serious internal showdown among members of the MAGA movement.
Richard Grenell is also well known to the Serbian public. As the US President's special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, he played an important role in US engagement in the Western Balkans during Trump's first mandate. He remains one of the American politicians with developed contacts in Serbia and the region.
The White House has not yet released the conclusions of the investigation. Grenell denies any wrongdoing, and the allegations made by Haba have not yet been independently proven
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