President Donald Trump erupted in anger after learning of the eye-watering sum his former personal lawyer is getting paid by her new billionaire boss.
Alina Habba, 42, was previously an attorney for Trump, representing him in high-profile cases including the defamation suit brought by E. Jean Carroll, a journalist who accused him of serious sexual assault.
A new report claims the 80-year-old hit the roof after learning Habba had locked in a contract worth over $50 million to work for a Venezuelan billionaire to whom he had given a presidential pardon.
Trump told his aides and allies that Habba should donate a portion of the lucrative contract to his future presidential library or another Trump-affiliated entity, multiple people briefed on the conversations told The New York Times.
His anger stemmed from a previous Times report that stated Habba secured the deal to work as general counsel for a new company started by the daughter of Venezuelan billionaire Julio Herrera Velutini, just two weeks before the president pardoned him over felony bribery charges and a previous campaign finance violation.
Concord Partners was launched by the billionaire’s daughter, Isabela, 27, in October last year. The Times said mystery surrounds what the firm actually does.
Venezuelan banking tycoon Velutini, 54, previously pleaded guilty to a campaign finance misdemeanor in the U.S.
Habba signed her contract with Concord Partners within days of the company’s launch, while she was still working as acting United States attorney for the District of New Jersey.
The role sees Habba paid $10 million a year over four years, plus bonuses. The Times reported that Trump told at least one of his allies that the tycoon’s family should not pay out the rest of Habba’s eye-watering contract. Sources who spoke to the Times claimed that Trump’s message got back to the wealthy family.
The report claims Trump called Habba to discuss her eight-figure contract, but it was unclear whether he personally asked her to make a donation linked to him, or if he merely suggested it to other people.
The Times reported Habba did not respond to questions about her conversations with Trump or if she had agreed to donate money from her earnings as he requested, while the Herrera family did not respond when asked to comment on any possible change to Habba’s employment.
The Daily Beast has contacted Habba and the White House for comment.
Herrera Velutini was pardoned by Trump on Jan. 15, and Habba joined his daughter’s firm two weeks later. Five days later, the president issued an amended clemency order specifically covering the banker’s misdemeanor offence.
Habba posted on X this month, “I was never paid to secure a pardon. I never met with anyone at the White House or DOJ about a pardon. I’ve never done any work in any capacity whatsoever for a pardon for anyone, period.”
The attorney’s marriage to billionaire Turhan Mildon, 29, at New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel last month was attended by FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and White House Chief Counsel Will Scharf.
Donald Trump did not attend, opting to attend a college football game in Tennessee, where he was loudly booed.
Habba hit back at the reports of her new role and new husband in an X post earlier this month.
“Big Scoop: After leaving public service, I’ve gone back to doing what I have done for my entire career: being a lawyer,” she wrote.
“I have stayed silent while the media attacked my husband, my friends, and me over the past week. My entire public career has been dedicated to calling out the radical left and the fake news. Anyone who thought that would change hasn’t been paying attention.”
