Posted on 10/19/2026 10:23:37 AM PDT by Miami Rebel
A “secret pay-for-play” text promising paid access to President Donald Trump is at the center of the latest civil war plaguing the White House, according to a new report from Axios.
The Monday report cited a text message received by Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon on May 3, 2025. In the text, the sender claimed that Mildon would be part of “VIP events” and that he would “get close with the administration, even with POTUS,” once he sent money that would be transferred to the Kennedy Center. Mildon claimed the texts were sent by Ric Grenell, a special presidential envoy who previously served as acting director of the Kennedy Center.
Mildon is also the spouse of former Trump lawyer and U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.
“At the heart of the alleged scheme is a financial transaction involving a private Houston-based defense company’s software and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Habba and Mildon’s attorneys have told the White House,” read the exclusive report from Marc Caputo, adding:
Mildon alleges that at Grenell’s direction, Mildon wired $17.6 million to Texas Armament & Technology. He says the money was to be split in roughly two parts: one for the Congo deal and nearly $6 million for the Kennedy Center. To back up his claims, Mildon provided the 2025 text that discussed the Kennedy Center donation and Congo “software.” In the text to Mildon, the sender also says, “There is an e-mail that was sent to you, can you please take a look at it for me ?” That email also was furnished to the White House, as was a May 29, 2025, financial record showing $17.6 million was wired to the company, known by its initials TXAT, sources said. A year and a half later, however, Mildon and Habba claim they discovered that the Kennedy Center never received the money. That’s when Habba went directly to Trump and accused Grenell of stealing millions from them. Shortly after Habba’s scene at the White House, Trump reportedly called White House Counsel Will Scharf into the Oval Office and directed him to look into the matter.
Although the couple claimed the money was never received, Mildon was still given the access he was initially promised in that earlier text message. Kennedy Center sources told Axios that he was spotted at “exclusive” events, which seemed to suggest he was among the administration’s big donors.
Grenell denied sending the text and has denounced the accusations against him as “lies.”
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Funny you never seem to spew dirt on liberals, take your gossip elsewhere.
There has always been grifters orbiting highly successful people, that has no bearing on the office itself, it is part of doing business and gets dealt with when exposed.
No legitimate company would send $17 million and “expect” $5M to be sent to a charity. The company could not take the $5M donation on their taxes.
This doesn’t pass a basic smell test.
This sounds like something that would happen to high school kids.
These people are not stupid. Therefore, you have to think this was intentional.
While I don’t like this...don’t act like EVERY SINGLE PRESIDENT DOES THIS.
Remember Bill Clinton Renting out the Lincoln Bedroom?
Money for access is standard politicking: it’s money for a contract or appointment that’s illegal.
True, but the problem here isn’t buying access...
It’s “where’d the money go” being publicly fought over between two elements of the administration (Habba/her new husband vs Grenell)?
I think Habba is now 100% out of the administration, and she’s had a sniff of the grift to her for a long (long) time - so my money would backing Grenell.
But the problem here isn’t buying access - it’s that one side is claiming the money isn’t where it should be.
Scandal? LOL. I got the same text saying “my meeting with Trump was scheduled”. Usually get a couple a day or more. It is BS click bait to take you to a donation site. The left can’t help themselves. They are so emotional.
Maybe you’re right, maybe you’re right.
On the other hand, can you imagine why a Turkish arms dealer would contribute a few million to a vanity project centered on a building ripe for demolition?
“my money would backing Grenell.”
I 100% trust Grenell more than I trust Habba. I. Do. Not. Like. Her. I think that she and Kimberly Guilfoyle were separated at birth.
For the democRATs / DemoKKKrats, the main “scandal” is that President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
Also, Axios was created by the same creeps that created Politico, also known as Bull-BLEEP-ico.
Axios/Bull-BLEEP-ico still haven’t recovered from the loss of huuuuuge amounts of taxpayer dollars. For years, the democRATs were funneling $$$$ through USAID. USAID paid for thousands of Politico “subscriptions.”
Habba and Grenell are having at.
The conflict is very public.
They are both intimately involved in the administration.
Put down the cough medicine bottle. It’s not the end of the world.
He’s still butthurt over 2024.
🔝
Another bombshell huh?
+1
I read this earlier today and thought about posting it.
But my BS meter was posting way into the Red Line and I knew better than to give it a second thought.
Didn’t Rush leave a clever note in the Bible after staying the Lincoln Bedroom?
Mediaite....Axios....with the mid-terms approaching...
How transparent can they get??
The timing was Habba and Mildon’s.
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