Russia's Best Friend in India Just Got a $300 Billion Deal From Trump

Oct 18

The Envoy's Donor In 2025 Ric Grenell was Trump's Venezuela envoy and president of the Kennedy Center at once. Turhan Mildon, whose Venezuelan concessions rode on US policy, pledged money to the center. In 2025 Ric Grenell served as President Trump's special envoy to Venezuela, pushing to normaliz...Read more

The Envoy's Donor In 2025 Ric Grenell was Trump's Venezuela envoy and president of the Kennedy Center at once. Turhan Mildon, whose Venezuelan concessions rode on US policy, pledged money to the center. In 2025 Ric Grenell served as President Trump's special envoy to Venezuela, pushing to normalize relations with Maduro, Axios reports, while also running the Kennedy Center. Turhan Mildon's business depended on Washington's Venezuela policy. In March 2025 Alex Saab, then Venezuela's industry minister, gave Mildon a contract to operate the state cement plants, and the government gave him a shrimp business seized from founder José Enrique Rincón after accusing him of financing the opposition, the New York Times reported on October 12. The Times reports Grenell introduced Mildon to some of the MAGA crowd. Lisa Dale, who handled the center's finances, told Axios her records show a Mildon pledge. Mildon met Alina Habba, Trump's former personal lawyer, at a Kennedy Center event. In June Delcy Rodríguez paused the termination of his cement contract after learning of the relationship, and in September the two married with Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel among the guests. The White House counsel is examining claims about Mildon's Kennedy Center gift. Grenell calls the claims absurd. Habba says she never intervened on her husband's behalf. Mildon's spokesperson says he won the cement business in a five-bidder process. Read the October 16 edition of American Princelings at dekleptocracy.substack.com Featured link https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-611 Secondary links New York Times, A Trump Loyalist, a Turkish Investor and a Battle for Wealth and Influence, Oct 12 2026 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/12/us/politics/a-trump-loyalist-a-turkish-investor-and-a-battle-for-wealth-and-influence.html Axios, White House probes claims of missing Kennedy Center money, Oct 14 2026 https://www.axios.com/2026/10/14/trump-kennedy-center-donation-maga-feud Bibliography Anatoly Kurmanaev and Tyler Pager, New York Times, A Trump Loyalist, a Turkish Investor and a Battle for Wealth and Influence, October 12 2026 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/12/us/politics/a-trump-loyalist-a-turkish-investor-and-a-battle-for-wealth-and-influence.html Marc Caputo, Axios, White House probes claims of missing Kennedy Center money in MAGA blood feud, October 14 2026 https://www.axios.com/2026/10/14/trump-kennedy-center-donation-maga-feud Sergio Gómez Maseri, El Tiempo, De Alex Saab al círculo de Donald Trump, October 14 2026 https://www.eltiempo.com/mundo/eeuu-y-canada/de-alex-saab-al-circulo-de-donald-trump-la-poderosa-red-del-empresario-turco-turhan-mildon-cuyos-negocios-en-venezuela-estan-en-disputa-3593178 El Nacional, La Casa Blanca investiga si Richard Grenell desvió donación de casi 6 millones de dólares al Kennedy Center, October 15 2026 https://elnacional.com/2026/10/la-casa-blanca-investiga-si-richard-grenell-desvio-donacion-de-casi-6-millones-de-dolares-al-kennedy-center CBS News and AP, Alex Saab deported from Venezuela to the US, May 2026 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alex-saab-deported-venezuela-nicolas-maduro-us/ Steven Sloan, AP via KSAT, Trump ally Ric Grenell stepping down as Kennedy Center president, March 13 2026 https://www.ksat.com/entertainment/2026/03/13/trump-ally-ric-grenell-stepping-down-as-kennedy-center-president/ AP via Spectrum News, Todd Blanche sworn in as attorney general, August 10 2026 https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/politics/2026/08/10/todd-blanche-sworn-in-as-attorney-general N1, The New York Times reveals details of General Staff building deal, quoting Jared Kushner on Grenell, March 18 2024 https://n1info.rs/english/news/the-new-york-times-reveals-details-of-general-staff-building-deal/ Dekleptocracy, American Princelings, October 16 2026 https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-611

Oct 18

Cut Off Without Warning Five days after the president's diesel deal with Putin, Ukraine's Pentagon-funded Starshield service was speed-capped without warning. Nobody has named who gave the order. On October 9 the president announced a deal with Vladimir Putin to buy Russian diesel, and Treasury is...Read more

Cut Off Without Warning Five days after the president's diesel deal with Putin, Ukraine's Pentagon-funded Starshield service was speed-capped without warning. Nobody has named who gave the order. On October 9 the president announced a deal with Vladimir Putin to buy Russian diesel, and Treasury issued General License 135 waiving sanctions the same day. Zelensky called it "a weak decision by strong partners." Overnight into October 14, Ukraine's Starshield service was speed-capped without warning, cutting service to terminals moving faster than 160 km/h. Ukraine uses the system to fly interceptor drones against Russian Shaheds. The Pentagon is Starshield's biggest customer, Reuters reports. Hundreds of US government employees work in Kyiv, protected by the same drone defenses. Presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov told the Kyiv Independent the cap "cannot be a coincidence." Elon Musk wrote that limits "are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS." Reuters, citing US and Western officials, reported the order came from inside the White House, while a senior US official said no such request was made by the president. Trump said it was not him. A limit on a Pentagon-funded service would have needed sign-off from the Pentagon policy office run by Elbridge Colby, which backed last year's pause in weapons deliveries to Ukraine. A Defense Ministry source told the Kyiv Independent on October 15 that service on the move was restored. Read the October 16 edition of American Princelings at dekleptocracy.substack.com Featured link https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-611 Secondary links Kyiv Independent, This cannot be a coincidence, Oct 14 2026 https://kyivindependent.com/this-cannot-be-a-coincidence-ukraines-starlink-access-restricted-without-warning-zelensky-adviser-says/ Reuters, Order to limit Starshield in Ukraine came from inside White House, sources say, Oct 15 2026 https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/order-limit-starshield-ukraine-came-inside-white-house-sources-say-2026-10-15/ Bibliography Chris York, Jonas Heins and Abbey Fenbert, Kyiv Independent, This cannot be a coincidence, Ukraine's Starlink access restricted without warning, Zelensky adviser says, October 14 2026 https://kyivindependent.com/this-cannot-be-a-coincidence-ukraines-starlink-access-restricted-without-warning-zelensky-adviser-says/ Jonas Heins, Kyiv Independent, Starlink service in Ukraine restored, Defense Ministry source says, October 15 2026 https://kyivindependent.com/breaking-starlink-service-in-ukraine-restored-defense-ministry-source-says/ Erin Banco and Gram Slattery, Reuters, Order to limit Starshield in Ukraine came from inside White House, sources say, October 15 2026 https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/order-limit-starshield-ukraine-came-inside-white-house-sources-say-2026-10-15/ Stephen Collinson, CNN, analysis, October 16 2026 https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/16/politics/ukraine-trump-russia-starlink CNN, Russia strikes Ukraine energy as Zelensky says no early warning, October 14 2026 https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/14/europe/russia-ukraine-energy-strike-early-warning-intl-hnk Sertac Aktan, Euronews, Russian missile hits Kyiv power plant with no early warning from allies, Zelensky says, October 14 2026 https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/14/russian-missile-hits-kyiv-power-plant-with-no-early-warning-from-allies-zelensky-says Barak Ravid, Axios, Trump and Putin diesel agreement, October 9 2026 https://www.axios.com/2026/10/09/trump-putin-diesel-agreement-ukraine-war Michelle L. Price and Collin Binkley, AP via Fortune, Trump Putin Russian diesel deal, October 9 2026 https://fortune.com/2026/10/09/trump-putin-russian-diesel-deal-zelenskyy-sanctions/ Kyiv Post, Zelensky calls diesel deal a weak decision by strong partners, October 10 2026 https://www.kyivpost.com/post/86648 Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, OFAC issues General License 135 authorizing transactions involving Russian-origin diesel fuel, October 2026 https://www.hsfkramer.com/notes/sanctions/2026-posts/ofac-issues-general-license-135-authorizing-transactions-involving-russian-origin-diesel-fuel Noah Robertson, Defense News via Military Times, Ukraine arms freeze part of wider military aid review, Pentagon says, July 2 2025 https://www.militarytimes.com/pentagon/2025/07/02/ukraine-arms-freeze-part-of-wider-military-aid-review-pentagon-says/ Elon Musk, post on X, October 14 2026 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2110445577184133456 Bloomberg, SpaceX gets US contract to expand Ukraine's access to Starshield, December 6 2024 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-06/spacex-gets-us-contract-to-expand-ukraine-s-access-to-starshield Dekleptocracy, American Princelings, October 16 2026 https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-611

Oct 18

Still Pending Hood County asked Ken Paxton in February whether it can pause industrial development after five data center applications. The request is still pending. Data center money to his campaigns now passes $1 million, by our count. On February 23, Hood County Attorney Matthew Mills asked Att...Read more

Still Pending Hood County asked Ken Paxton in February whether it can pause industrial development after five data center applications. The request is still pending. Data center money to his campaigns now passes $1 million, by our count. On February 23, Hood County Attorney Matthew Mills asked Attorney General Ken Paxton whether the county may declare a moratorium on industrial development, citing five data center applications. Texas law gives the attorney general 180 days to answer. Day 180 passed in August, and request RQ-0633-KP remains on his pending list. NOTUS reported in August that Paxton's federal political operation took at least $448,000 through June from data center executives and political committees. Anti-Corruption Action's conservative tabulation of the newest filings puts the total at $864,800, and more than $1 million with his state campaign funds. On September 8, Seth Crawford, Black Mountain Energy Storage's vice president of land, gave $274,300 to Paxton Victory, two weeks after Fort Worth approved the site plan for Black Mountain's $10 billion data center campus. The company has not named who will operate it. Paxton's campaign says he is laser-focused on protecting Texas families, water and the grid. Read the October 16 edition of American Princelings at dekleptocracy.substack.com Featured link https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-611 Secondary links Texas Attorney General, Request RQ-0633-KP, received Feb 23 2026 https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/requests/ken-paxton/rq-0633-kp NOTUS, Ken Paxton's Political Operation Rakes In Data Center Donations, Aug 11 2026 https://www.notus.org/technology/ken-paxton-data-centers-texas-senate-race-james-talarico Bibliography Matthew A. Mills, Hood County Attorney, Request for opinion RQ-0633-KP, Whether Hood County may declare a moratorium on industrial development, received February 23 2026 https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/requests/ken-paxton/rq-0633-kp Texas Attorney General, Pending requests for opinions https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/pending-requests-opinions Taylor Giorno, NOTUS (now The Washington Sun), Ken Paxton's Political Operation Rakes In Data Center Donations as Texans Turn Against Industry, August 11 2026 https://www.notus.org/technology/ken-paxton-data-centers-texas-senate-race-james-talarico Federal Election Commission, Paxton Victory, filing 2025224, Schedule A https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/forms/C00952218/2025224/sa/ALL Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Report, Fort Worth OKs $10B data center site plan with more green space, distance from homes, August 25 2026 https://fortworthreport.org/2026/08/25/fort-worth-oks-10b-data-center-site-plan-with-more-green-space-distance-from-homes/ Dylan McKim, KXAN, Talarico criticizes Paxton over data center policy, donations, August 18 2026 https://www.kxan.com/news/talarico-criticizes-paxton-over-data-center-policy-donations-paxton-calls-rival-a-hypocrite/ Alejandra Martinez, Texas Tribune, Hood County rejects data center development pause, February 10 2026 https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/10/texas-hood-county-rejects-data-center-development-pause-ai/ Paul Cobler, Texas Tribune via KSAT, Data center approvals in Texas halted until audits completed, August 3 2026 https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2026/08/03/data-center-approvals-in-texas-halted-until-audits-completed-gov-greg-abbott-says/ Texas Government Code section 402.042 https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.402.htm Claudia Grisales, NPR, Paxton wins Republican Texas Senate nomination, May 26 2026 https://www.wbur.org/npr/nx-s1-5835745/paxton-republican-texas-senate-nominee-trump-cornyn-talarico Dekleptocracy, American Princelings, October 16 2026 https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-611

Oct 16

Bus Fare. What the Iran war costs your school district Our billboard is up on a Detroit highway. Midwest diesel costs $6.26 a gallon this week, according to the EIA, nearly double the $3.61 of a year ago. Michigan school districts could pay at least $28.7 million more to run their buses, the pay of...Read more

Bus Fare. What the Iran war costs your school district Our billboard is up on a Detroit highway. Midwest diesel costs $6.26 a gallon this week, according to the EIA, nearly double the $3.61 of a year ago. Michigan school districts could pay at least $28.7 million more to run their buses, the pay of 413 teachers. Our politicians' failure to enforce the law and let the war in Iran continue is now costing America's communities. Look up your Michigan school district → https://busfare.walletshock.org/michigan/ Help bring Bus Fare to your state → https://secure.actblue.com/donate/go-on-offense Read the Dekleptocracy Journal → https://dekleptocracy.substack.com Sources Bus Fare, Dekleptocracy Alliance → https://busfare.walletshock.org/michigan/ EIA Midwest No. 2 diesel retail prices → https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=EMD_EPD2D_PTE_R20_DPG&f=W Garrett Downs, CNBC, Oct 11 2026 → https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/11/trump-energy-ceasefire-russia-ukraine-zelenskyy.html Olivia Ireland and Ella Kipling, BBC, Oct 12 2026 → https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvlyd4pdlwkxo Barak Ravid, Axios, Oct 11 2026 → https://www.axios.com/2026/10/11/russia-ukraine-oil-energy-ceasefire-trump-putin-zelensky Caitlyn Frolo, TNND with AP, Oct 9 2026 → https://katv.com/news/nation-world/trump-announces-major-russian-diesel-supply-deal-after-putin-call-ukraine-war-plague-outbreak-midterms-gas-prices-sanctions-energy-sector-natural-gas-treasury-department Mike Sheen, CNBC, Oct 12 2026 → https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/12/russia-ukraine-energy-ceasefire-diesel-prices.html Associated Press via KPBS, Oct 15 2026 → https://www.kpbs.org/news/international/2026/10/15/ukraine-resumes-attacks-on-russian-oil-refineries-officials-say-after-brief-truce

Oct 13

The Sons' Defense Portfolio Companies backed by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have won $3.2 billion in government business plus $3.1 billion in options, the Washington Post found. The newest is Anduril's Navy-backed plant in Maryland. The Washington Post found in July that companies backed by Do...Read more

The Sons' Defense Portfolio Companies backed by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have won $3.2 billion in government business plus $3.1 billion in options, the Washington Post found. The newest is Anduril's Navy-backed plant in Maryland. The Washington Post found in July that companies backed by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump had won at least $3.2 billion in direct government business since the brothers invested, plus $3.1 billion in future contract options. On October 6 the president announced Anduril's Arsenal-2 plant at Sparrows Point in Baltimore County, backed by a Navy contract worth up to $2.9 billion. 1789 Capital, where Don Jr. is a partner, is an Anduril investor. On September 30 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth named Anduril founder Palmer Luckey to co-lead a Pentagon study of the future of warfare. Vulcan Elements received a $620 million Pentagon loan about three months after 1789 invested. Unusual Machines, where Don Jr. is an adviser, landed an Army order for 3,500 drone motors. Foundation Future Industries, which names Eric Trump chief strategy adviser, has secured $24 million in Pentagon contracts. A spokesperson for the brothers calls criticism a deliberate distortion of the facts. In August, Sens. Warren, Blumenthal and Duckworth and Rep. Robert Garcia asked the Pentagon inspector general to investigate. Read the October 9 edition of American Princelings at dekleptocracy.substack.com Featured link https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272 Secondary links Sen. Warren and colleagues ask DoD watchdog to investigate, Aug 5 2026 https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-garcia-blumenthal-duckworth-urge-dod-watchdog-to-investigate-3-2-billion-in-government-awards-to-companies-tied-to-trump-sons/ FOX45, Multibillion-dollar investment to expand submarine production in Sparrows Point, Oct 6 2026 https://katv.com/news/nation-world/president-donald-trump-governor-wes-moore-maryland-anduril-industries-virginia-class-submarines-tradepoint-atlantic-sparrows-point Bibliography Washington Post, Trump's sons invest heavily in defense tech as father's administration pours money in, July 13 2026 https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2026/07/13/trumps-sons-invest-heavily-defense-fathers-administration-pours-money/ Elizabeth Dwoskin and Andrew Ba Tran, Washington Post via Philadelphia Inquirer, Lawmakers call for Pentagon probe of Trump family-backed companies, August 5 2026 https://www.inquirer.com/news/nation-world/trump-sons-investments-pentagon-contracts-democrats-investigation-20260805.html Sen. Elizabeth Warren press release, August 5 2026 https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-garcia-blumenthal-duckworth-urge-dod-watchdog-to-investigate-3-2-billion-in-government-awards-to-companies-tied-to-trump-sons/ Mikenzie Frost, FOX45 via KATV, Multibillion-dollar investment to expand submarine production in Sparrows Point, October 6 2026 https://katv.com/news/nation-world/president-donald-trump-governor-wes-moore-maryland-anduril-industries-virginia-class-submarines-tradepoint-atlantic-sparrows-point Colin Demarest, Axios, Musk returns to Trump world for Pentagon war study, September 30 2026 https://axios.com/2026/09/30/pentagon-hegseth-musk-gingrich-anduril Popular Information, Crosby and Sims, Trump Jr.-backed startup receives $620 million Pentagon loan, December 4 2025 https://popular.info/p/update-trump-jr-backed-startup-receives DroneXL citing the Financial Times, Trump Jr.-linked Unusual Machines lands major Pentagon drone contract, October 25 2025 https://dronexl.co/2025/10/25/trump-jr-unusual-machines-pentagon-drone-contract Alina Maria Stan, TheNextWeb, Foundation humanoid robot soldiers and the Pentagon, April 26 2026 https://thenextweb.com/news/foundation-humanoid-robot-soldiers-pentagon Natalia Mittelstadt, TNND, includes the brothers' spokesperson statement, October 8 2026 https://wjla.com/news/nation-world/abc-deletes-report-on-trump-sons-investment-ties-to-companies-with-6b-in-dod-contracts-president-anduril-eric-trump-donald-trump-jr-gavin-newsom US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, High School Teachers, median pay $72,040 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/high-school-teachers.htm Dekleptocracy, American Princelings, October 9 2026 https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272