Alina Habba, a longtime legal ally of former President Donald Trump, married Turkish investor Turhan Mildon last month in a high-profile ceremony in New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel, marking the couple’s entry into prominent circles within the MAGA movement. The event drew a number of influential Washington figures, including Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and White House counsel Will Scharf.

Mr. Mildon’s rise within Trump’s orbit is notable given his previous business entanglements in Venezuela, a country long mired in political and economic turmoil. Until January 2026, Mildon maintained significant operations in Venezuela, particularly in the cement industry, under the regime of Nicolás Maduro, whose government was toppled in a U.S.-backed military operation. Prior to Maduro’s arrest by U.S. commandos, Mildon had sought to build connections between Maduro’s close associates, including Alex Saab—an influential figure recently extradited to the United States—and members of the Republican establishment aligned with Trump.

Mildon’s business dealings attracted scrutiny within the Trump administration. Multiple sources familiar with internal discussions said the administration had considered imposing sanctions against him due to his ties to Maduro's inner circle. However, these considerations were ultimately shelved following the regime change in Caracas, with officials citing the prioritization of other targets within the government.

After Maduro's removal and Saab's arrest, Venezuela’s interim leader, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, ordered an audit of Mildon’s state-operated cement plants and later issued a termination order citing failure to meet investment obligations. This decision was reportedly paused after Rodríguez assessed Mildon’s relationship with Habba, recognizing her close access to Trump and the competing factions within the MAGA movement influencing U.S. policy on Venezuela. Rodríguez has sought to balance these factions since assuming leadership.

Mildon’s spokesman denied that an audit took place and stated that the termination notice was only delivered in early October 2026, attributing the letter to an administrative error they were working to resolve. Both the spokesman and a U.S. administration official rejected claims that sanctions had been considered or pursued against Mildon, calling such allegations false.

Before aligning with Habba, Mildon’s earlier personal and business relationships were complex. He first married the daughter of a construction magnate close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2021 and subsequently became an adviser to the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, acquiring a diplomatic passport and securing large construction contracts. While some have claimed Mildon presented himself as a Congolese official, his spokesman denies such assertions, and Congo’s foreign ministry declined to comment.

Mildon entered Venezuela in late 2023 and quickly established ties within the Maduro government, securing contracts to operate cement plants and, controversially, a shrimp production and export business seized from an opposition-linked owner. While Mildon’s representatives argue he won these contracts through formal bidding processes and maintained only professional ties with Venezuelan officials, others within Venezuela assert that assets were distributed without competition among loyalists.

Throughout 2025, Mildon became involved in back-channel diplomacy between Washington and Caracas amid escalating U.S. pressure on Maduro. He was connected to efforts led by Richard Grenell, Trump’s envoy to Venezuela, and gained access to Republican social circles, meeting Habba at events associated with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Habba, with longstanding loyalty to Trump and a prominent legal role in defending him, has stated she has never discussed her husband’s business dealings with Trump or White House officials and would not be asked to do so.

Data regarding Mildon’s business claims have drawn skepticism. He stated in a recent interview that his Venezuelan cement production reached 4.5 million tons annually, significantly exceeding the country’s known total output. Similarly, his shrimp business purportedly employed 20,000 people and aimed for $500 million in revenue within two years, although records indicate sales currently amount to a fraction of prior volumes. Mildon’s spokesman maintains he was misquoted.

Despite the downturn of his prior political backers following Maduro’s ousting and the end of his earlier engagement to the daughter of Venezuelan Admiral Remigio Ceballos—who is under U.S. sanctions—Mildon’s cement operations continue to function, according to his representatives. The couple’s wedding underscored the merging of personal relationships and political influence in the evolving dynamics surrounding Venezuela and the Trump-aligned Republican base.