{"id":2688369,"date":"2026-10-20T09:56:36","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T13:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/potus-wants-answers-kennedy-center-chaos-as-ric-grenell-accused-of-selling-white-house-access-5-6-million-donation-allegedly-missing\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T09:56:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T13:56:36","slug":"potus-wants-answers-kennedy-center-chaos-as-ric-grenell-accused-of-selling-white-house-access-5-6-million-donation-allegedly-missing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/potus-wants-answers-kennedy-center-chaos-as-ric-grenell-accused-of-selling-white-house-access-5-6-million-donation-allegedly-missing\/","title":{"rendered":"POTUS Wants Answers: Kennedy Center Chaos as Ric Grenell Accused of Selling White House Access, $5.6 Million &#8216;Donation&#8217; Allegedly Missing"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">40<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpotus-wants-answers-kennedy-center-chaos-as-ric-grenell-accused-of-selling-white-house-access-5-6-million-donation-allegedly-missing%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2688369&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A burgeoning scandal involving former Kennedy Center Director Ric Grenell and a missing multimillion-dollar donation appears to have just gotten significantly worse for the embattled diplomat.<\/p>\n<p>The controversy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wh-investigating-ex-kennedy-center-head-reportedly-missing-5-6-million-donation-previously-fired-western-journal-founder-faith\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">erupted last week<\/a> after President Donald Trump\u2019s former attorney, Alina Habba, alleged to him that Grenell never deposited a $5.6 million Kennedy Center donation from her billionaire husband, Turkish businessman and investor Turhan Mildon.<\/p>\n<p>According to a new bombshell report from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/10\/19\/kennedy-center-text-trump-grenell-habba\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Axios<\/a>, the White House has since been made aware of text messages allegedly sent by Grenell in which he offered Mildon exclusive VIP access to the president in exchange for money.<\/p>\n<p>Grenell, for his part, has already denied everything in posts published to the social media site X:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">@axios It\u2019s an absurd claim. I\u2019ve never asked for one cent to be sent somewhere else pretending it was for the Kennedy Center and I\u2019ve never received any payment from him at all. Make him give proof to what he is saying, not make these absurd allegations.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RichardGrenell\/status\/2110449016647651827?\">October 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnce the money comes to the company here, I will arrange the donation to Kennedy Centre [sic], and you\u2019ll be joining the VIP events and get close with the administration, even with POTUS,\u201d one text message allegedly sent by Grenell on May 3, 2025, read.<\/p>\n<p>According to the new allegations against Grenell, he also exploited his prior position as special envoy to Venezuela to try to appeal to Mildon, who reportedly also had contracts in that region.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to make you the \u2018American face\u2019 down in V,\u201d Grenell added in his text message to the Turkish businessman.<\/p>\n<p>Mildon confirmed to Axios that Grenell had him wire a total of $17.6 million to a company called Texas Armament &#038; Technology. The majority of the money was earmarked for a defense deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo, while $5.6 million was supposed to go to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/kennedy-center-board-restoring-trumps-name-building-move-sure-frustrate-judge-ordered-removed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">renamed Kennedy Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is that the Kennedy Center allegedly never received the money.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt would be 17 months before Mildon learned that the Kennedy Center never received the money that he thought was included in the wire he sent at Grenell\u2019s direction,\u201d according to Axios.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Grenell has continued to deny everything, including that he sent the previously mentioned text messages to Mildon. As proof, he noted to Axios that the messages referred to the Kennedy Center as the Kennedy \u201cCentre,\u201d which is how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/stop-boats-british-citizens-rise-protest-government-helps-illegal-migrants-ashore\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">British people<\/a> \u2014 not Americans \u2014 typically spell it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no way this is true. This is crazy,\u201d Grenell reportedly told Trump after the president phoned him about the controversy last week.<\/p>\n<p>Grenell also issued a denial to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/10\/17\/us\/politics\/trump-allies-grenell-mildon-congo.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times<\/a>: \u201cResponding to questions from The New York Times, Mr. Grenell denied all accusations, calling them absurd,\u201d the paper reported.<\/p>\n<p>Grenell\u2019s allies have also come to his defense by questioning \u201ceverything from Mildon\u2019s background as a businessman to his associates, his age (he\u2019s 29 but some records indicate he\u2019s 25) and his $10 million wedding last month to Habba, 42,\u201d as reported by Axios.<\/p>\n<p>White House Counsel Will Scharf is now reportedly investigating the new findings, including the text messages. According to Axios, he plans to \u201cverify the digital footprint of the 2025 text.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One of Axios\u2019 sources seemed to suggest the evidence doesn\u2019t look good for Grenell, as \u201ca printout of the [2025 text] message has the same image of Grenell that appears on his smartphone contact card display.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One unnamed administration official who spoke with Axios also seemed to think that things look bad for Grenell.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHere\u2019s where Alina might be telling the truth: Mildon did get access,\u201d the official said. \u201cSo why did he get access? Was he doing business in Congo with Ric? Why so much access if the contribution was never paid?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Grenell <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/head-kennedy-center-fired-founder-western-journal-biblical-values-now-stepping\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stepped down<\/a> from his role as Kennedy Center director in March, months after he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/western-journal-founder-fired-kennedy-center-cnn-prodded-christian-beliefs-refused-recant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fired<\/a> The Western Journal\u2019s founder, Floyd Brown, from his role as vice president of development at the institution.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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The controversy erupted last week after President Donald Trump\u2019s former attorney, Alina Habba, alleged to him that Grenell never deposited a $5.6 million Kennedy Center donation from her billionaire<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2688370,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-10-20T075657.680.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2688369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-10-20T075657.680.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2688369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2688369"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2688369\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2688370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2688369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2688369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2688369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}