Trump criticizes ex-lawyer for $50 million deal with pardoned banker's family

Alina Habba Mildon signed a four-year contract worth more than $50 million with the family of a Venezuelan banker who received a presidential pardon two weeks after she started the job. The agreement, reported by The New York Times, includes an annual salary of $10 million and additional bonuses.

President Donald Trump called the deal "totally obnoxious and outrageous" during a Saturday news conference at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. He stated that the arrangement is "not acceptable at all." Trump said he told Habba Mildon he did not want her to be paid, describing the situation as "terrible."

The contract was signed in October 2025 with Concord Partners, a company owned by the family of Julio Herrera Velutini. At the time, Habba Mildon was the acting US attorney for New Jersey. A court later ruled she could not legally serve in that position, and she left the role in December 2025. She immediately joined the Justice Department as a senior adviser to the attorney general.

Habba Mildon began working for Concord Partners on January 1, 2026, while still employed by the federal government. On January 15, 2026, Trump granted Herrera a full presidential pardon. Herrera had pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges in August 2025. Prosecutors accused him of bribing former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez Garced to remove a financial regulator investigating his bank.

Habba Mildon has denied playing a role in securing the pardon. She stated she was never paid to obtain a pardon, never discussed one with White House or Justice Department officials, and never worked to secure a pardon for anyone. The New York Times reported that Concord Partners has no public profile and its business activities remain unclear.

Trump reportedly told aides and allies that Habba Mildon should donate part of the contract money to his future presidential library or another Trump-related organization. He also told at least one ally that Herrera’s family should stop paying her the remainder of the contract. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.