Bitter White House Feud: Even by Trump Standards, Alina Mildon and Richard Grenell Clash
A dispute reaches the Oval Office
Alina Habba Mildon, previously one of President Trump’s personal lawyers, went to the Oval Office last week to raise allegations against Richard Grenell. Grenell had served as Trump’s special envoy to Venezuela and led the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Mildon had recently married Turhan Mildon, a Turkish investor with extensive business interests in Venezuela. He had kept in regular contact with Grenell during the previous year about Venezuela and support for the Kennedy Center.
Money and competing claims
Mildon told Trump that Grenell had improperly allocated millions of dollars her husband sent in 2025 for the Kennedy Center. A lawyer for Turhan Mildon later sent the White House material meant to support the claim.
Among the documents was a text message attributed to Grenell, in which he allegedly referred to making Turhan Mildon the “American face down in V,” meaning Venezuela. Grenell denied the allegations and called them absurd.
White House weighs the allegations
The facts behind the accusations remain disputed. White House counsel Will Scharf has been assigned to determine whose account is accurate. The dispute is unfolding amid a broader struggle among Trump’s allies and supporters for a share of Venezuela’s wealth. The country’s resource riches are now effectively under American control.
Key points
- Mildon accused Grenell of mishandling money her husband sent for the Kennedy Center in 2025.
- Grenell denied the accusations and called them absurd.
- White House counsel Will Scharf is tasked with assessing the competing accounts.
- The dispute is linked to a wider contest over Venezuela’s resources.