US President Donald Trump has publicly criticized his former lawyer Alina Habba Mildon and calling her $50 million private contract with the family of a Venezuelan banker "obnoxious, outrageous and not acceptable."
Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump voiced strong disapproval after reports revealed that Habba Mildon secured the lucrative agreement while serving in senior roles linked to the US Department of Justice.
According to a report by The New York Times, the family of Julio Herrera Velutini is a Venezuelan banker who faced federal bribery charges before securing a plea deal and guaranteed Habba Mildon over $50 million over four years. The contract structured at $10 million annually plus bonuses was signed with the family’s firm Concord Partners in late October 2025 while she served as acting US attorney for New Jersey.
Following a court disqualification, Habba Mildon resigned from her prosecutor role in December 2025 and became a senior adviser to the attorney general. She officially began her private employment with Concord on January 1, 2026. Two weeks later on January 15, Trump granted Herrera Velutini a presidential pardon.
Habba Mildon denied any wrongdoing or ethics violation, stating she never worked on, discussed or received compensation for any pardon. Trump stated he told her directly that he opposed the payment arrangement. The Department of Justice has not issued a formal comment.
