Former US President Donald Trump has publicly criticised his former lawyer, Alina Habba Mildon, following reports of a lucrative contract she signed with the family of a Venezuelan banker whom Trump subsequently pardoned. Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Saturday, Trump described the $50 million agreement as "totally obnoxious and outrageous" and asserted that such arrangements are "not acceptable at all."
According to reports, the contract was signed in October 2025 with a company controlled by the family of Julio Herrera Velutini. At the time the deal was finalised, Herrera was facing federal bribery charges in the United States, stemming from allegations that he had bribed former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez Garced to remove a financial regulator investigating his bank. Herrera had reached a plea deal with prosecutors in August 2025 prior to the contract signing.
The financial agreement guaranteed Habba Mildon over $50 million across a four-year period, featuring an annual salary of $10 million alongside various bonuses. At the time of signing, Habba Mildon was serving as the acting US attorney for New Jersey, an appointment made by Trump following her tenure as his personal legal counsel. She departed that position in December 2025 after a court ruling determined she could not legally serve in the role, subsequently transitioning to a position as a senior adviser to the attorney general at the Department of Justice.
Records indicate that Habba Mildon officially commenced employment with the banker’s family on January 1, 2026, while concurrently remaining on the payroll of the Justice Department. Just two weeks later, on January 15, Trump issued a full presidential pardon to Herrera. The proximity of these events has led to significant scrutiny regarding potential conflicts of interest and the nature of Habba Mildon’s dual roles within the government and her private employment.
Habba Mildon has maintained that she played no part in the procurement of the pardon for Herrera. In a statement released last week, she asserted that she had never been compensated to obtain a pardon, had not discussed the matter with officials at the White House or the Justice Department, and had not engaged in any efforts to secure a pardon for any individual.
Reports suggest that Trump reacted with frustration upon learning the specific value of the contract. He allegedly conveyed to aides and allies that the banker’s family should cease payments on the remainder of the contract. Furthermore, he reportedly suggested that Habba Mildon should donate a portion of the funds to his future presidential library or a related organisation. During his remarks on Saturday, Trump confirmed he had expressed his disapproval of the payments to Habba Mildon directly, labelling the entire situation as "terrible."
The company involved in the deal, Concord Partners, remains a subject of inquiry, as it possesses no public profile and its core business activities have not been clarified. The Justice Department has yet to provide a comment regarding the situation. The controversy continues to highlight ongoing questions about transparency and professional conduct for individuals transitioning between private practice and federal service.
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