A leaked list of contributors shows major technology, telecommunications and defense companies have committed hundreds of millions of dollars to construct a new White House ballroom, according to reporting by The Washington Post. The records reveal more than $330 million in private contributions, while showing no record of personal financial contributions from President Donald Trump.
Apple and Nvidia rank among the largest corporate contributors, each pledging $25 million toward the project, according to the documents obtained by the Post. Charlie Ergen, co-founder of Dish Network, and the Adelson Family Foundation also each gave $25 million. The records documented 67 contributions above $10,000 as of late September, with donations routed through the Trust for the National Mall, a nonpartisan tax-exempt organization.
Major Corporate and Industry Pledges
Contributions from the technology and telecom sectors accounted for more than $183 million, Engadget reported. Microsoft, defense contractor Palantir and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin each pledged $10 million, according to the Post. Cable provider Comcast contributed $7.5 million, while Amazon, Meta Platforms, Cisco, T-Mobile and ServiceNow each donated $5 million. Cisco and ServiceNow confirmed their $5 million contributions, with ServiceNow stating its government work is completely separate from philanthropic giving, according to CNBC.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, directed $22 million to the Trust for the National Mall as part of a $24.5 million settlement resolving Trump’s lawsuit over his suspension from YouTube after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, the Post reported.
In the financial and energy sectors, cryptocurrency investors Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss gave over $5 million in bitcoin, while oil executives Harold Hamm and Paul Singer each contributed $5 million, according to the Post. The Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Foundation gave $20.27 million, Variety reported.
Not all companies confirmed the records. AT&T, listed in documents with a $5 million pledge, told the Post that it had no knowledge of the list and had no plans to donate.
Ethics Concerns and Government Scrutiny
The disclosures have drawn scrutiny from ethics experts and lawmakers over potential conflicts of interest. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren criticized the arrangement, calling the trust a vehicle for political fundraising and donor access to the president, Gizmodo reported.
Several contributors have current matters before the federal government, according to the Post. Salesforce, which committed $2 million alongside a $1 million personal pledge from CEO Marc Benioff, secured an Army contract valued at up to $5.6 billion following Trump’s return to office. Singer’s hedge fund is seeking federal approval for a $5.9 billion acquisition of Venezuelan oil company Citgo.
Other donations involved political appointees and allies, Engadget reported. Joseph Popolo Jr. gave $1 million shortly after being selected as ambassador to the Netherlands, while Brandon Lutnick, son of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, donated stock valued at more than $2.5 million. Isabela Herrera contributed $2.5 million, beginning payments shortly before Trump pardoned her father, banker Julio Herrera Velutini, who had pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges.
At least $77 million in contributions came from donors requesting anonymity, according to the Post. Nvidia, which requested that its donation remain private, said in a statement to CNBC: “As an American company, our support for the United States is paramount, and independent of any business interests. We were proud to be able to make a donation to a nonpartisan trust that serves all Americans and have said so publicly since the donation was made.”
Rising Costs and Construction Status
The White House has stated the 90,000-square-foot ballroom will seat 650 people, replacing the 200-seat capacity of the East Room. The structure is being erected on the footprint of the former East Wing, which was demolished last year. On Aug. 31, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to allow construction to proceed despite legal challenges, Variety reported.
While Trump previously estimated the project at $250 million and stated it would be paid for by himself and friends, the total projected budget has escalated to roughly $600 million, with taxpayers potentially covering around half the cost, according to the Post.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle condemned the disclosure of the records, stating the administration would aggressively pursue those responsible for the leak while maintaining that critics are fabricating conflicts of interest.
