Alina Habba Fired From $50 Million Concord Job After Trump Blast - US News Pulse

Concord Partners has dismissed Alina Habba Mildon, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, from her job as general counsel and adviser, ending a contract worth more than $50 million that the president himself had publicly condemned as "totally obnoxious and outrageous".

Her duties ended on November 1, 2026, and a termination letter sent on November 4 cited a "failure to perform duties" ordinarily expected of a general counsel, The New York Times reported on Tuesday, November 10. The dismissal came just ten days after Trump denounced the deal at Mar-a-Lago, calling it "totally obnoxious and outrageous" and "not acceptable at all".

Key Points

• Concord Partners dismissed Alina Habba Mildon as general counsel and adviser, with her duties ending November 1, 2026.
• A November 4 termination letter cited a "failure to perform duties" ordinarily expected of a general counsel, The New York Times reported.
• The deal, signed in late October 2025 while Habba was acting United States attorney for New Jersey, guaranteed more than $50 million over four years, including $10 million a year plus bonuses.
• Habba will keep the $6.5 million already paid, the company says; one report puts her total retention at about $14.5 million, including an $8 million bonus.
• Trump condemned the deal on October 31 at Mar-a-Lago, calling it "totally obnoxious and outrageous" and saying he told Habba he did not want her to be paid.

What Happened

Concord Partners, a Florida company, dismissed Habba from her role as general counsel and adviser, with her duties ending on November 1, 2026. The company followed up with a formal termination letter on November 4, which cited a "failure to perform duties" ordinarily expected of a general counsel. The New York Times first reported the dismissal on Tuesday, November 10.

The reports did not publish the full text of the letter, say which duties Habba failed to perform, or quote a fresh response from her to the dismissal. What is clear is the sequence: Trump's condemnation on October 31, the end of her duties on November 1, and the formal letter three days later. Her employment had begun on January 1, 2026, two weeks before the pardon at the centre of the story.

Background and Context

Concord Partners was established by Isabela Herrera, the daughter of Venezuelan banking magnate Julio Herrera Velutini. Herrera Velutini had faced federal bribery charges and pleaded guilty in August 2025. On January 15, 2026, President Trump pardoned him, two weeks after Habba's employment began. The agreement, signed in late October 2025 while Habba was acting United States attorney for New Jersey, guaranteed her more than $50 million over four years, including a $10 million annual salary plus bonuses.

Habba was one of Trump's most visible personal lawyers before entering government service. Her move from the United States attorney's office into a $50 million contract with a company tied to a man awaiting a presidential pardon drew attention from ethics lawyers and the press, even before Trump weighed in.

The Alina Habba Firing and the $50 Million Contract

The money is where the two accounts differ. The company's official update says Habba will keep the $6.5 million already paid. One report, however, says she is expected to retain about $14.5 million in total, including an $8 million bonus. The gap has not been explained.

Either way, the sums are large for a ten-month engagement. Keeping $6.5 million for work that began on January 1 and ended on November 1 works out at about $650,000 a month. The stated reason is the standard language companies use when they end a senior legal appointment for cause, and the reports did not say whether Habba disputes it or intends to challenge the termination.

Reactions and Quotes

Trump's remarks on October 31 remain the most striking part of the story, because a president rarely denounces in public a contract held by his own former lawyer. Speaking at Mar-a-Lago, he said the deal was "totally obnoxious and outrageous" and "not acceptable at all", adding: "I thought it was terrible." He said he had told Habba he did not want her to be paid, and said she had "used her relationship" with him, calling the arrangement "far too much".

Habba has denied that her employment had anything to do with securing the pardon, saying she was never paid for a pardon and never worked on one for anyone. That denial was on the record before the dismissal. The New York Times report is the source for the termination letter, and the company's official update is the source for the $6.5 million figure.

Why It Matters

The case sits at the intersection of three things Americans argue about constantly: presidential pardons, the revolving door between government service and private pay, and the loyalty politics of Trump's inner circle. A contract signed while Habba was a sitting acting United States attorney, with a company founded by the daughter of a man awaiting a presidential pardon, was always going to attract scrutiny.

It also matters because of who ended it. Trump did not merely distance himself from the deal; he condemned it in the strongest terms. For the wider debate, critics will argue the pardon power needs clearer rules, while defenders will say the pardon and the contract were separate matters and that no charge or ethics finding has been made. The contract is now over; the pardon stands.

What Happens Next

Whether Habba challenges the termination or seeks further payment is not yet known, nor whether the full letter becomes public. Concord Partners will also need a new general counsel. Longer term, the episode is likely to be remembered as a cautionary tale: a $50 million contract, a presidential pardon, a public denunciation by the president himself, and a dismissal within ten days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Alina Habba fired from Concord Partners?
A November 4 termination letter cited a "failure to perform duties" ordinarily expected of a general counsel, according to The New York Times. The full letter has not been published.

How much was Habba's Concord Partners contract worth?
More than $50 million over four years, including a $10 million annual salary plus bonuses. It was signed in late October 2025.

How much money will Habba keep?
The company says she will keep the $6.5 million already paid. One report says she is expected to retain about $14.5 million in total, including an $8 million bonus.

What did President Trump say about the deal?
On October 31 at Mar-a-Lago, Trump called it "totally obnoxious and outrageous" and "not acceptable at all", and said he told Habba he did not want her to be paid.

Was the contract connected to the pardon of Julio Herrera Velutini?
Habba denies any connection, saying she was never paid for a pardon and never worked on one. Herrera Velutini, who pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges in August 2025, was pardoned on January 15, 2026.

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