A $5.6 million donation that allegedly was not deposited with the Kennedy Center in Washington when the institution was led by Richard Grenell has prompted a White House investigation. Grenell is an ally of US President Donald Trump.
Të lidhura
None found
The former US director of national intelligence, who now serves as presidential envoy for special missions, has dismissed the allegations as “absurd.” He insists he has committed no wrongdoing.
US media report that the case centers on a contribution pledged by Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon. He is the husband of Alina Habba, a prominent lawyer and Trump ally. On October 9, Habba met with the US president to convey concerns that some of the funds pledged to the Kennedy Center had not reached the institution as planned.
According to the reports, the $5.6 million was part of a larger payment of $17.6 million. During the conversation in the Oval Office, Habba said she and her husband had recently learned that the funds had not been sent to their intended destination.
A US administration official confirmed that the White House counsel’s office had requested documentation and evidence. However, the official said no material had been submitted by that point.
Lisa Dale, who was responsible for the Kennedy Center’s finances at the time, told Axios that the only financial document connected to Mildon showed an outstanding obligation of $270,000. The report states that this payment reached the center on October 13.
In rejecting the allegations, Grenell said he had never requested that funds intended for the Kennedy Center be routed elsewhere. He also denied receiving any payment from the businessman.
The investigation comes as the Kennedy Center’s management and financial condition have become the subject of intense controversy in the US. Changes to the institution’s leadership began in February 2025, when Trump removed board members and replaced them with his own allies. Grenell was entrusted with the center’s interim leadership from February 2025 to March 2026.
Reports indicate that both ticket revenue and donations have declined since Trump became involved in running the center. The institution’s closure in September further worsened its situation. The US president has said the closure was necessary to ensure the building’s safety and carry out urgent repairs.
Another dispute, this time in court, concerns the addition of Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center building. The institution was established as a memorial to former President John F. Kennedy, but in December 2025 the president placed his own name on its facade in bronze letters.
A federal judge ordered the removal of those letters in May 2026. That section of the building has remained covered ever since. Trump subsequently threatened to demolish the entire building, deepening the conflict over the institution’s future.
The investigation into the allegedly unreported donation is expected to increase pressure on the Kennedy Center’s former leadership. Meanwhile, Grenell maintains that the allegations are unfounded.
