Alina Habba's Marriage Links Trump Loyalist to Venezuela Business Dealings

Alina Habba, a 42-year-old longtime Trump loyalist and former personal lawyer, married 29-year-old Turkish investor Turhan Mildon last month. The lavish ceremony took place at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York and was attended by powerful Washington figures, including FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and White House Chief Counsel Will Scharf. Habba previously served as acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey and maintains close ties to Donald Trump, reportedly visiting him at the Oval Office last week.

Mildon’s Venezuela Business Ties and Political Connections

Turhan Mildon is a Turkish businessman with deep connections to allies of Venezuela’s former president Nicolas Maduro. He previously held extensive business interests in the country. In March 2025, Alex Saab, a trusted ally of Maduro who oversaw Venezuela’s industrial sector, awarded Mildon a contract to operate state-owned cement factories.

Mildon spent months trying to build ties between Saab and Republicans in Trump's orbit. He began cultivating contacts through Richard Grenell, who served as an envoy to Venezuela and head of the Kennedy Center in Washington. Grenell introduced Mildon to Republican insiders. Mildon began dating Alina Habba early this year after meeting her at a Kennedy Center party toward the end of 2025.

Scrutiny and Consequences of Mildon’s Venezuela Dealings

Before Maduro's capture by U.S. commandos in January, Trump aides and U.S. intelligence officials expressed concern about Mildon's work with the Maduro government. They raised specific alarms about his attempts to introduce Alex Saab to influential Republicans. The Trump administration had considered placing sanctions on Mildon but shelved those plans after Maduro’s capture.

After Maduro's capture, Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodríguez ordered an audit of the state-owned cement plants operated by Mildon. In June, Rodríguez issued an order revoking Mildon's contract altogether. The revocation cited a failure to meet investment targets. Mildon’s company received a formal termination notice for the cement deal on October 8.

Personal Relationships Amid Geopolitical Tensions

The situation highlights the intermingling of personal relationships and foreign policy, where well-connected people in Caracas and Washington seek access for wealth and influence. Rodríguez reportedly reconsidered the termination after learning Mildon was dating Habba. The marriage shows how personal ties influence access in both capitals.

Responses and Denials from Involved Parties

A spokesperson for Mildon dismissed earlier talk of U.S. sanctions as a “totally false and malicious rumor.” An anonymous Trump official also stated that sanctions were never under serious consideration. Habba has denied any professional crossover, stating, I have never, under any circumstances got involved with this White House or administration on behalf of my husband, nor would he ever ask me to. Mildon himself once told Forbes, “In my grandfather’s time, know-how, (knowledge) was very important. Now, know-who (who you know) is important.”

Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodríguez issued an order revoking Turhan Mildon's contract to operate state-owned cement plants in June, citing a failure to meet investment targets.