Trump orders probe into Richard Grenell over alleged secret deal offering access to president

Home latest pakistan world sports showbiz entertainment Royal business health Sci-Tech Food Fact Check Sci-Tech Videos shows Watch –> Viral Trump orders probe into Richard Grenell over alleged secret deal offering access to president Former Trump attorney Alina Habba raised the allegations with the president during an Oval Office meeting on October 9 By Web Desk | Published October 20, 2026

US President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into his longtime adviser Richard Grenell after allegations emerged that he offered a Turkish billionaire access to the White House in exchange for a multimillion-dollar donation.

The controversy deepened on Monday after Axios reported obtaining a text message allegedly sent by Grenell to businessman Turhan Mildon on May 3, 2025.

The message suggested Mildon could attend exclusive events and meet senior administration officials, including Trump, after money was transferred to a US company.

However, Grenell has denied sending the message and dismissed the allegations against him. But how did a proposed donation to Washington’s Kennedy Center become linked to a defence company and the Democratic Republic of Congo?

According to Axios, Mildon claims he arranged a $17.6 million payment to Houston-based Texas Armament & Technology, with approximately $5.6 million intended for the Kennedy Center.

The money reportedly never reached the cultural institution, which Grenell headed at the time. Mildon’s wife, former Trump attorney Alina Habba, raised the allegations with the president during an Oval Office meeting on October 9.

Trump subsequently asked White House counsel Will Scharf to examine the claims. The investigation has also uncovered an unusual detail: the $17.6 million transfer reportedly originated from Congo’s finance ministry rather than Mildon’s personal bank account.

Officials are now seeking to establish who owned the money and what the transaction was intended to finance.

Grenell has maintained that he never requested money to be diverted from the Kennedy Center and received no payment from Mildon.

The White House has not established whether any funds were misappropriated, and the authenticity of the disputed message remains under examination.