Trump Calls Ex-Lawyer $50 Million Contract With Pardoned Banker's Family Outrageous
The president criticized Alina Habba Mildon, who signed the deal while serving as a federal prosecutor and Justice Department adviser.
By Robert Marshall ·
President Donald Trump declared a contract worth more than $50 million to be totally obnoxious and outrageous during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Saturday.
The president directed his criticism at Alina Habba Mildon, a former personal lawyer who recently served in the federal government. He stated that the deal was not acceptable at all and described the situation as terrible.
According to reporting by The New York Times, Habba Mildon signed a four-year agreement in October 2025 with Concord Partners, a company owned by the family of Julio Herrera Velutini. The contract guaranteed her an annual salary of $10 million plus bonuses, totaling over $50 million.
At the time of signing, Habba Mildon held the position of acting US attorney for New Jersey. Trump had appointed her to that role following her tenure as his personal lawyer. A court later ruled she could not legally serve in that capacity, and she left the post in December.
She subsequently took a position as a senior adviser to the attorney general within the Justice Department. On January 1, she officially began working for the Herrera family company while still employed by the federal government.
Two weeks after she started her new private role, Trump granted Herrera a full presidential pardon on January 15. Herrera had previously pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges in August 2025. He was accused 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. Last week, she stated she was never paid to obtain it and never discussed the matter with anyone at the White House or the Justice Department. Trump reportedly told aides he wanted Habba Mildon to donate part of her earnings to his future presidential library or another Trump-related organization. He also suggested the Herrera family should stop paying the remainder of the contract. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
