Trump calls Alina Habba's $50 million deal with the family of a banker he pardoned 'not acceptable'; Habba denies any role in the pardon
The New York Times reported that the family of banker Julio Herrera Velutini hired Alina Habba on a contract guaranteeing her more than $50 million, and that Trump pardoned him weeks after she started. Habba denies any link. Trump calls the contract not acceptable.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Herrera was charged in 2022 with federal felony bribery over an alleged scheme to have a former Puerto Rico governor remove a regulator investigating his bank. In August 2025 he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor campaign-finance offense under a plea deal. The Times reported that his daughter gave $3.5 million to a super PAC tied to Trump and that one of Trump's personal lawyers, Christopher Kise, helped with his request for clemency. A court disqualified Habba from serving as U.S. attorney for New Jersey, and she resigned that post on December 8, 2025, becoming a senior adviser to the attorney general the same day. A White House official told the Times that Habba had no role in the pardon process. Later reporting said Trump told aides and allies that Habba should donate part of the contract to his future presidential library or another Trump-affiliated entity.
People in this case
Alina HabbaDirectly involved
Donald TrumpDirectly involved
Mike LevinCommented
Becca BalintCommented
Timeline
5 timeline entries on this page. Dates: January 1, 2026 to October 31, 2026
January 2026
Habba starts as general counsel of Concord Partners
According to the Times, Habba finalized her contract with Concord Partners, a company Herrera's daughter registered in late October 2025, while she was acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey. She resigned that post on December 8 and became a senior adviser to the attorney general, and was still in that role when she started at Concord on January 1.
[01]Reuters
Reuters reports Trump's remarks to reporters at Mar-a-Lago about Habba's contract with Concord Partners, recaps The New York Times reporting on the deal and the Justice Department's record of the January 15, 2026 pardon, and summarizes Habba's denial.
Trump calls $50 million contract for ex-lawyer Habba Mildon 'not acceptable' · ReutersFull Reuters story, Palm Beach dateline, October 31, 2026[02]The New York Times
The New York Times reports that the family of Julio Herrera Velutini, a Venezuelan banker who sought a pardon, guaranteed Habba more than $50 million over four years to serve as general counsel of Concord Partners, a company set up by his daughter, and that Trump pardoned him weeks after Habba started there.
A Billionaire Wanted a Trump Pardon. His Family Gave Alina Habba a $50 Million Deal. · The New York TimesFull articleTrump pardons Julio Herrera Velutini
Trump pardons Herrera, according to the Justice Department's website. Herrera had faced federal felony bribery charges before striking a plea deal in August 2025.
[01]Reuters
Reuters reports Trump's remarks to reporters at Mar-a-Lago about Habba's contract with Concord Partners, recaps The New York Times reporting on the deal and the Justice Department's record of the January 15, 2026 pardon, and summarizes Habba's denial.
Trump calls $50 million contract for ex-lawyer Habba Mildon 'not acceptable' · ReutersFull Reuters story, Palm Beach dateline, October 31, 2026
October 2026
The New York Times reports the Herrera family's $50 million contract with Habba
Source release
The Times reports that the Herrera family guaranteed Habba more than $50 million over four years and that Trump pardoned Herrera weeks after she started. Habba responds on X that any suggestion her employment had anything to do with securing a pardon is false and defamatory.
[02]The New York Times
The New York Times reports that the family of Julio Herrera Velutini, a Venezuelan banker who sought a pardon, guaranteed Habba more than $50 million over four years to serve as general counsel of Concord Partners, a company set up by his daughter, and that Trump pardoned him weeks after Habba started there.
A Billionaire Wanted a Trump Pardon. His Family Gave Alina Habba a $50 Million Deal. · The New York TimesFull article[03]Alina Habba's October 20, 2026 post on X responding to The New York Times report on her employment
Habba writes that she has gone back to working as a lawyer since leaving public service, that any suggestion her employment had anything to do with securing a pardon is false and defamatory, and calls the report an October surprise.
Reports say Trump was angered by the size of Habba's contract
Source release
The Daily Beast relays a New York Times report that Trump erupted after learning how much Habba was being paid and told aides and allies she should donate part of it to his future presidential library or another Trump-affiliated entity. The Times said it was unclear whether he asked Habba directly.
[04]Daily Beast report on Trump's reaction to Alina Habba's $50 million contract
The Daily Beast summarizes a New York Times report that Trump was angered by the size of Habba's contract and told aides and allies she should donate part of it to his future presidential library or another Trump-affiliated entity. The Times said it was unclear whether he asked Habba directly.
Trump calls Habba's contract 'not acceptable'
Reaction
Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Trump calls the contract totally obnoxious and outrageous and not acceptable, and says he told Habba he did not want her to be paid.
[01]Reuters
Reuters reports Trump's remarks to reporters at Mar-a-Lago about Habba's contract with Concord Partners, recaps The New York Times reporting on the deal and the Justice Department's record of the January 15, 2026 pardon, and summarizes Habba's denial.
Trump calls $50 million contract for ex-lawyer Habba Mildon 'not acceptable' · ReutersFull Reuters story, Palm Beach dateline, October 31, 2026
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Alina Habba's contract with the Herrera family's company was part of a pay-to-play arrangement to secure a pardon for Julio Herrera Velutini.
What is disputed
Habba says she was never paid to secure a pardon, never met with anyone at the White House or the Justice Department about one, and that her employment was vetted and disclosed to the Justice Department. The New York Times reported that a White House official said Habba had no role in the pardon process.
Sources (3)
- A Billionaire Wanted a Trump Pardon. His Family Gave Alina Habba a $50 Million Deal. · The New York TimesFull article
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
4 responses. Newest first.
Mike LevinU.S. Representative from California, in a video posted to his official Bluesky accountBefore this statement
In an episode of his Corruption Chronicles video series, Levin recounts the Herrera family's donations to a pro-Trump super PAC, Habba's contract and the pardon, notes that Habba and the White House deny any link, and cites the Times report that Trump wanted part of her pay redirected to his presidential library.
"Every American deserves a justice system where the outcome doesn't depend on who you can pay. We deserve answers about what this deal was for, whether anyone profited from a presidential pardon, and why the president wanted money for himself."
CondemnedResponding to: Alina Habba's contract with the Herrera family's company was part of a pay-to-play arrangement to secure a pardon for Julio Herrera Velutini.
Full statement and sources
Closing a video on the Habba contract, Levin says the justice system should not depend on who can pay and asks what the deal was for, whether anyone profited from the pardon, and why Trump wanted money for himself.
After the statement
The quotation closes the video, which Levin's post presents as a case study in profiting from proximity to the president.
Rep. Mike Levin's November 4, 2026 video on Bluesky about Alina Habba's contract and the Herrera pardonFull video, 2:54; Habba section from 1:31Why this label?
The reference point is Alina Habba's acceptance of a contract worth more than $50 million from the family of Julio Herrera Velutini, who sought and received a Trump pardon, while she held Justice Department posts. Levin presents the donations, the contract and the pardon as a sequence in which outcomes depend on who can pay and demands answers, which condemns the arrangement.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Donald TrumpPresident of the United States, speaking to reporters at Mar-a-LagoDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Reuters reports that Trump said it was unacceptable for Habba, one of his former lawyers, to secure a $50 million contract for herself while working at the Justice Department.
"I thought it was totally obnoxious and outrageous, and it's not acceptable"
CondemnedResponding to: Alina Habba's contract with the Herrera family's company was part of a pay-to-play arrangement to secure a pardon for Julio Herrera Velutini.
Full statement and sources
Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Trump says he found Habba's $50 million contract totally obnoxious and outrageous and not acceptable.
After the statement
According to Reuters, Trump said he told Habba he did not want her to be paid and called the episode terrible.
Trump calls $50 million contract for ex-lawyer Habba Mildon 'not acceptable' · ReutersFull Reuters story, Palm Beach dateline, October 31, 2026Why this label?
The reference point is Alina Habba's acceptance of a contract worth more than $50 million from the family of Julio Herrera Velutini, who sought and received a Trump pardon, while she held Justice Department posts. Trump calls the contract obnoxious, outrageous and not acceptable, which condemns it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Becca BalintU.S. Representative from Vermont, in a video posted to her official Bluesky accountBefore this statement
Balint opens the video by describing the story as Habba orchestrating essentially a pay to play pardon scheme in which a billionaire paid her $50 million to secure a pardon, and says the framers never imagined the pardon power would be used to allow grift and graft.
"It was intended to give the president some latitude to forgive people who had experienced a travesty of justice from the justice system. It was never supposed to be, if you have enough money, you get a pardon."
CondemnedResponding to: Alina Habba's contract with the Herrera family's company was part of a pay-to-play arrangement to secure a pardon for Julio Herrera Velutini.
Full statement and sources
In a video about the Habba contract, Balint says the pardon power was meant to let a president forgive people who suffered a travesty of justice, not to let people with enough money obtain a pardon.
After the statement
She says changing the pardon power is not easy because it is set out in the Constitution, but that she and her colleagues are looking at every possible way to take away a power she says this president is abusing.
Why this label?
The reference point is Alina Habba's acceptance of a contract worth more than $50 million from the family of Julio Herrera Velutini, who sought and received a Trump pardon, while she held Justice Department posts. Balint describes the arrangement as a pay-to-play pardon scheme and says pardons were never meant to go to whoever has enough money, which condemns it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Alina HabbaFormer acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey and former Trump personal lawyer, posting on XDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Posting on X the evening the Times published its report, Habba writes that after leaving public service she has gone back to being a lawyer, and that the Times has already credited another attorney for what he did without her.
"Any insinuation that my employment - all of which has been vetted and disclosed to the D.O.J. - had anything to do with securing a pardon is false and defamatory."
DeniedResponding to: Alina Habba's contract with the Herrera family's company was part of a pay-to-play arrangement to secure a pardon for Julio Herrera Velutini.
Full statement and sources
Habba writes on X that her employment was vetted and disclosed to the Justice Department and that any suggestion it had anything to do with securing a pardon is false and defamatory.
After the statement
She adds that the Times keeps using her former name and calls the report an October surprise. In a second post the next day, she writes that she was never paid to secure a pardon and never did any work for a pardon for anyone.
Why this label?
The reference point is Alina Habba's acceptance of a contract worth more than $50 million from the family of Julio Herrera Velutini, who sought and received a Trump pardon, while she held Justice Department posts. Habba denies that her employment had anything to do with securing the pardon.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(7)
Reporting
A Billionaire Wanted a Trump Pardon. His Family Gave Alina Habba a $50 Million Deal.
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
The New York Times reports that the family of Julio Herrera Velutini, a Venezuelan banker who sought a pardon, guaranteed Habba more than $50 million over four years to serve as general counsel of Concord Partners, a company set up by his daughter, and that Trump pardoned him weeks after Habba started there.
- Author
- Tyler Pager
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Rep. Mike Levin's November 4, 2026 video on Bluesky about Alina Habba's contract and the Herrera pardon
Rep. Mike Levin recounts Alina Habba's contract with the Herrera family's company and the pardon, and calls for answers about what the deal was for, in a video posted to his official Bluesky account on November 4, 2026.
Excerpt from 1:31 to 2:54 of the Rep. Mike Levin video. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: Office of Rep. Mike Levin. Public domain (U.S. government work) (opens in a new tab)
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: Full video, 2:54; Habba section from 1:31)
About this source
In an episode of his Corruption Chronicles series, Levin recounts the Herrera family's donations, the Habba contract and the pardon, notes that Habba and the White House deny any link, and calls for answers about what the deal was for.
- Author
- Rep. Mike Levin (@levin.house.gov)
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Rep. Becca Balint's October 21, 2026 video on Bluesky about Alina Habba's contract and the Herrera pardon
Rep. Becca Balint calls the reported Habba contract a pay-to-play pardon scheme and says the pardon power was never meant for whoever has enough money, in a video posted to her official Bluesky account on October 21, 2026.
DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: Office of Rep. Becca Balint. Public domain (U.S. government work) (opens in a new tab)
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: Full video, 1:09)
About this source
Balint calls the reported arrangement a pay-to-play pardon scheme, says the framers did not intend the pardon power to allow grift and graft, and says Democrats are looking at ways to limit it.
- Author
- Rep. Becca Balint (@balint.house.gov)
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Daily Beast report on Trump's reaction to Alina Habba's $50 million contract
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
The Daily Beast summarizes a New York Times report that Trump was angered by the size of Habba's contract and told aides and allies she should donate part of it to his future presidential library or another Trump-affiliated entity. The Times said it was unclear whether he asked Habba directly.
- Author
- Cameron Adams
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Alina Habba's October 21, 2026 post on X saying she was never paid to secure a pardon
About this source
Habba writes that she was never paid to secure a pardon, never met with anyone at the White House or the Justice Department about a pardon, and never did any work for a pardon for anyone.
- Author
- Alina Mildon (@AlinaHabba)
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Alina Habba's October 20, 2026 post on X responding to The New York Times report on her employment
About this source
Habba writes that she has gone back to working as a lawyer since leaving public service, that any suggestion her employment had anything to do with securing a pardon is false and defamatory, and calls the report an October surprise.
- Author
- Alina Mildon (@AlinaHabba)
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Trump calls $50 million contract for ex-lawyer Habba Mildon 'not acceptable'
Relevant passage: Full Reuters story, Palm Beach dateline, October 31, 2026
About this source
Reuters reports Trump's remarks to reporters at Mar-a-Lago about Habba's contract with Concord Partners, recaps The New York Times reporting on the deal and the Justice Department's record of the January 15, 2026 pardon, and summarizes Habba's denial.
- Author
- Gram Slattery and Jasper Ward
- Published
- Accessed
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- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Trump calls Alina Habba's $50 million deal with the family of a banker he pardoned 'not acceptable'; Habba denies any role in the pardon
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/alina-habba-herrera-velutini-50-million-contract-pardon
The Dispute Index. "Trump calls Alina Habba's $50 million deal with the family of a banker he pardoned 'not acceptable'; Habba denies any role in the pardon". First published: 2026-11-09. Last updated: 2026-11-09. https://disputeindex.com/cases/alina-habba-herrera-velutini-50-million-contract-pardon