Josh Marshall calls Grenell's spelling defense 'a pretty thin argument'
Josh MarshallFounder and editor of Talking Points Memo, writing on its Editors' Blog
Talking Points Memo founder Josh Marshall writes that Grenell apparently argues the British spelling of 'centre' shows the text is fake, and calls that a thin argument, while noting that the texts could be fake and that Habba's account of the donation has shifted.
“It’s true that I certainly wouldn’t expect an American to use that spelling. But that seems like a pretty thin argument for Grenell to rest his whole case on.”
Analysis
Where this statement fits
Alina Habba says Ric Grenell never deposited her husband's Kennedy Center donation; Grenell calls it 'an absurd claim'
Former Trump lawyer Alina Habba told President Donald Trump on October 9, 2026 that Ric Grenell, the former head of the Kennedy Center, failed to deposit a multimillion-dollar donation from her husband, Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon, according to Axios. Trump ordered a White House counsel review. Grenell denies asking for money to be redirected or receiving any payment, and denies sending a 2025 text message, reported by Axios, that offered Mildon access to Trump.
Source and context
Analysis
About this source
Talking Points Memo editor Josh Marshall's analysis of Axios's October 19 report on the dispute between Grenell and Habba and Mildon.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Marshall writes that Grenell's defense seems to be that the texts are fake, and that he apparently points to the British spelling of 'centre' in one of them.
After the quotation
He adds that it is possible the texts are fake, since they seem to have been given to the White House as printouts, and later writes that Habba is not in good shape either because her account of the donation changed quickly.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case concerns the accusation that Grenell failed to deposit Mildon's Kennedy Center donation and the text he allegedly sent offering access to Trump. Marshall doubts Grenell's main defense against the text but also says the texts may be fake and that Habba's account changed, so his assessment is mixed.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Richard Grenell, Alina Habba
More from this case
Read the full caseRic Grenell calls the missing-donation accusation 'an absurd claim'
“It’s an absurd claim. I’ve never asked for one cent to be sent somewhere else pretending it was for the Kennedy Center and I’ve never received any payment from him at all. Make him give proof to what he is saying, not make these absurd allegations.”Read statement
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- Josh Marshall calls Grenell's spelling defense 'a pretty thin argument'
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The Dispute Index. "Josh Marshall calls Grenell's spelling defense 'a pretty thin argument'". First published: 2026-10-30. Last updated: 2026-10-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/7259-talking-points-memo-founder-josh-marshall-writes-that