White House Investigates Alleged 17.6 Million Dollar Kennedy Center Dispute

The White House is investigating allegations involving $17.6 million transferred to Texas Armament & Technology, a defense contractor, after a dispute between presidential envoy Richard Grenell and Alina Habba Mildon, a former Trump attorney, over a promised donation to the Kennedy Center. According to Axios reports published in October 2026, Habba Mildon and her husband, Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon, presented documents to administration officials alleging that millions intended for the cultural institution never arrived.

The dispute centers on a reported arrangement involving software for the Democratic Republic of Congo and a proposed contribution of approximately $5.6 million to the Kennedy Center. The couple alleges that Grenell facilitated the arrangement and offered access to President Donald Trump and administration officials in connection with the transaction.

According to Axios, the evidence submitted to the White House included a text message dated May 3, 2025, an email, and a financial record dated May 29, 2025. The record showed a $17.6 million transfer to Texas Armament & Technology, also known as TXAT.

Grenell, who previously served as interim director of the Kennedy Center, denied requesting or receiving money for an improperly represented donation. Speaking to Axios, he called the allegations absurd.

"I've never asked for one cent to be sent somewhere else pretending it was for the Kennedy Center, and I've never received any payment from him at all. Make him give proof to what he is saying, not make these absurd allegations." Grenell said.

The reported text message attributed to Grenell described a potential donation and access to events involving senior administration figures. It stated that the arrangement would connect Mildon with the president and other officials.

"Once the money comes to the company here, I will arrange the donation to Kennedy Centre [sic], and you'll be joining the VIP events and get close with the administration, even with POTUS," the message read, according to Axios.

The origins and intended distribution of the money remain disputed. Although Habba Mildon initially indicated that the funds came from her husband's bank account, a White House official told Axios that the transfer originated from the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ministry of Finance in Kinshasa.

The discrepancy raises questions about the relationship between the Congolese transaction and the proposed Kennedy Center contribution. Representatives for Texas Armament & Technology and the Congolese government could not be reached for comment by Axios, while a spokesman for Mildon declined the outlet's request for comment.

The amount allegedly intended for the Kennedy Center has also varied in accounts of the dispute. Habba Mildon initially indicated that the entire $17.6 million was supposed to reach the institution before identifying a smaller amount of approximately $6 million.

Lisa Dale, who oversaw the Kennedy Center's finances at the time, told Axios that the institution's records showed an outstanding donation of $270,000 from Mildon, but no record of a $6 million contribution.

"There was nothing about $6 million. I would have heard about that," Dale said.

The couple's allegations also place Grenell's previous business relationship with TXAT under scrutiny. Daily Kos reported that Grenell had worked as a consultant for the company, adding another connection to a transaction whose purpose and financial arrangements remain unclear.

Questions have also emerged about the identity of the person who initiated the transfer. According to Daily Kos, material initially submitted to the White House redacted the sender's name, while the financial record identified Congo's Ministry of Finance as the source of the funds.

White House officials have acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations while signaling that the administration does not want the dispute to become a broader political distraction. One official told Axios that the president did not want to deal with the matter but said any missing money would represent a significant problem.

The White House's general counsel, Will Scharf, has reportedly launched an investigation into the allegations. The available records and competing accounts have not established whether Grenell improperly handled funds or whether the proposed Kennedy Center donation was part of a legitimate transaction.

The controversy also involves questions about Turhan Mildon's business background. The New York Times reported that Mildon presents himself as a billionaire and has cement operations in Venezuela, where he has claimed annual production of 4.5 million tons. Data reviewed by the newspaper indicated that Venezuela's total annual cement output was approximately one-third of that figure. The newspaper also reported discrepancies concerning his stated age: Mildon says he is 29, while US and British documents list him as 25.

Grenell previously served as US ambassador to Germany, acting director of national intelligence, and interim director of the Kennedy Center. Habba Mildon joined Trump's legal team during his first administration and was disqualified from serving as acting US attorney for the District of New Jersey in 2025. She married Mildon last month, according to New York Magazine's October 20, 2026, report.