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Texts allegedly show Grenell offered Turkish businessman access to Trump for donation

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 4 outlets. No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered it yet.

4 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

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Image via The IndependentHow images are chosenReport this image

Reports describe alleged text messages from Ric Grenell, a former Kennedy Center head and Trump ally, offering Turhan Mildon, a Turkish businessman married to former Trump lawyer Alina Habba, VIP access to Trump in return for a Kennedy Center donation. The texts are described as allegedly sent. One report, citing Axios, says the White House has been made aware of them. Habba is reported to have alleged to Trump that a donation of $5.6 million was never deposited, while another report puts the amount at $6 million. Grenell has denied the allegations, calling them absurd and saying he never asked for or received any payment.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Texts allegedly sent by Ric Grenell offered Turhan Mildon VIP access to Trump in exchange for a Kennedy Center donation.

    Across the spectrumReported byFar Left1Left1Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The New Republic
    Left
    The Independent
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    The Western Journal

  2. Turhan Mildon is a Turkish businessman who married former Trump attorney Alina Habba.

    Reported byFar Left1Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The New Republic
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    The Western Journal

  3. Ric Grenell has denied the allegations, saying he never asked for money and never received any payment from Mildon.

    Reported byLeft1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Independent
    Far Right
    The Western Journal

  4. Alina Habba alleged to Trump that a $5.6 million donation from her husband was never deposited at the Kennedy Center.

    One outletThe Western Journal· Far Right

  5. Axios reported that the White House has been made aware of the alleged texts.

    One outletThe Western Journal· Far Right

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Ric Grenell offered Turhan Mildon VIP access to Trump in exchange for a Kennedy Center donation.

    The New Republic calls the texts new evidence of a pay-to-play scheme, while the Independent and New York Post present them as allegations. Grenell denies the allegations, calling them absurd and saying he never received payment.

  • The donation at issue was $6 million or $5.6 million.

    The New York Post headline gives $6 million. The Western Journal reports Habba’s allegation of a $5.6 million donation that was never deposited.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report that texts allegedly sent by Ric Grenell offered Turhan Mildon access to Trump for a Kennedy Center donation, and that Grenell denies it. Left outlets stress a pay-for-influence scandal reaching the White House, while right outlets center the missing donation and the access at issue.

  • the left

    2 outlets

    Headlines use scandal and pay-for-influence language, presenting the alleged texts as evidence against Grenell, and one headline asks whether he ripped off Habba’s husband.

    ‘Pay-for-influence’ Sensational language“scandal”The word presents the allegations as an established scandal rather than as claims under investigation.More neutral: allegationsDisagree with this highlight? involving Trump allies hits White House: report
    The IndependentLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    2 outlets

    Headlines center the alleged texts and a missing donation, with the Post attributing the claims to the texts; the Far Right Western Journal adds charged wording like chaos and selling access.

    Ric Grenell offered Alina Habba’s Turkish billionaire husband access to Trump for $6M Kennedy Center donation that Loaded verb“vanished”The word implies the money was taken or hidden, while the coverage reports only that it was not deposited.More neutral: was never depositedDisagree with this highlight?, texts allege
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left4

    scandals keep comingpay-to-play schemeRip Offscandal

  • Center

    Has not covered this story.

  • Right4

    embattledvanishedembattled diplomatChaos

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    scandals keep comingMore neutral: new allegations have emerged

    The phrase frames a run of unrelated allegations as an ongoing pattern of wrongdoing.

    And the scandals keep coming: President Donald Trump’s close ally Ric Grenell, who has recently served as…

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Partisan shorthand

    pay-to-play schemeMore neutral: arrangement in which a donation was linked to access

    The label names an arrangement with its conclusion of wrongdoing built in, while the evidence is documents and texts that are disputed.

    …Performing Arts, came under fire Monday for new evidence that he offered in a pay-to-play scheme with wealthy Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon.

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    Rip OffMore neutral: fail to deposit a donation

    The headline states theft as a loaded verb phrase while the allegation is unresolved in the coverage.

    Did Trump’s Kennedy Center Boss Rip Off Alina Habba’s Husband?

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    scandalMore neutral: allegations

    The word presents the allegations as an established scandal rather than as claims under investigation.

    ‘Pay-for-influence’ scandal involving Trump allies hits White House: report

    Used byThe Independent (Left)

Show 4 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded modifier

    embattledMore neutral: former

    The adjective pre-judges Grenell by describing him as under pressure rather than giving his role.

    WASHINGTON — Ric Grenell, the embattled former executive director of the Kennedy Center, allegedly promised Turkish…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    vanishedMore neutral: was never deposited

    The word implies the money was taken or hidden, while the coverage reports only that it was not deposited.

    …Turkish billionaire husband access to Trump for $6M Kennedy Center donation that vanished, texts allege

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    embattled diplomatMore neutral: Ric Grenell

    The label pre-judges Grenell before the allegations are established.

    …donation appears to have just gotten significantly worse for the embattled diplomat.

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    ChaosMore neutral: Kennedy Center controversy

    The word manufactures drama about a scandal whose details the article itself describes as allegations.

    POTUS Wants Answers: Kennedy Center Chaos as Ric Grenell Accused of Selling White House Access, $5.6 Million 'Donation'…

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

Words quoted from someone else (1)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Loaded verb

    Quoted

    dupedMore neutral: was misled

    The word characterizes Mildon as deceived, a judgement reported as Habba’s account rather than as established fact.

    9 Oval Office meeting that her husband was duped into providing the funds.

    Quoted byNew York Post (Right)

    These are Alina Habba’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

2 outlets

Leads with

  • pay-for-influence scandal
  • White House involvement
  • alleged texts offering access

Leaves out

  • Habba’s allegation that the donation was never deposited

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • The IndependentLeft

    ‘Pay-for-influence’ Sensational language“scandal”The word presents the allegations as an established scandal rather than as claims under investigation.More neutral: allegationsDisagree with this highlight? involving Trump allies hits White House: report

    ‘You'll be joining the VIP events and get close with the administration,’ Richard Grenell allegedly texted a Turkish businessman. He denies the allegations

    Read at The Independent (opens in a new tab)
  • The New RepublicFar Left

    Did Trump’s Kennedy Center Boss Loaded verb“Rip Off”The headline states theft as a loaded verb phrase while the allegation is unresolved in the coverage.More neutral: fail to deposit a donationDisagree with this highlight? Alina Habba’s Husband?

    And the scandals keep coming: President Donald Trump’s close ally Ric Grenell, who has recently served as both special envoy to Venezuela and acting director of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, came under fire Monday for new evidence that he offered in a pay-to-play …

    Read at The New Republic (opens in a new tab)

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

2 outlets

Leads with

  • missing donation
  • access to Trump for money
  • president’s response
See the 2 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • The Western JournalFar Right

    POTUS Wants Answers: Kennedy Center Sensational language“Chaos”The word manufactures drama about a scandal whose details the article itself describes as allegations.More neutral: Kennedy Center controversyDisagree with this highlight? as Ric Grenell Accused of Selling White House Access, $5.6 Million 'Donation' Allegedly Missing

    A burgeoning scandal involving former Kennedy Center Director Ric Grenell and a missing multimillion-dollar donation appears to have just gotten significantly worse for the embattled diplomat. The controversy erupted last

    Read at The Western Journal (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRight

    Ric Grenell offered Alina Habba’s Turkish billionaire husband access to Trump for $6M Kennedy Center donation that Loaded verb“vanished”The word implies the money was taken or hidden, while the coverage reports only that it was not deposited.More neutral: was never depositedDisagree with this highlight?, texts allege

    "Once the money comes to the company here, I will arrange the donation to Kennedy Centre [sic], and you'll be joining the VIP events and get close with the administration, even with POTUS."

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    The New Republic, Oct 19, 3:37 PM EDT

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    4 hr 24 min later

    Its first report, Oct 19, 8:01 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The New RepublicFar LeftOct 19, 3:37 PM EDT
  2. The IndependentLeftOct 19, 5:32 PM EDT
  3. New York PostRightOct 19, 8:01 PM EDT
  4. The Western JournalFar RightOct 20, 8:02 AM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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