Apple, NVIDIA donated $25M each to Trump's White House ballroom
What's the story
A recent report by The Washington Post has unveiled the major contributors to President Donald Trump's White House ballroom project. The effort has seen over $330 million in private donations, mostly before the East Wing's demolition in October 2025. Among the top donors are tech giants Apple and NVIDIA, each donating $25 million, along with pro-Israel non-profit Adelson Family Foundation.
Corporate contributions
Legal challenges continue amid ongoing construction
Along with Apple and NVIDIA, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, and Palantir Technologies each donated $10 million to the ballroom project.
Google contributed $22 million through a lawsuit settlement with Trump while Meta Platforms and Amazon each donated $5 million.
The donations have raised questions over the decision-making process behind private donor contributions amid ongoing construction despite legal challenges over its legality and implications.
Funding scrutiny
Concerns over transparency in fundraising process
The funding sources for Trump's ballroom project have drawn attention due to the involvement of companies and wealthy individuals with federal contracts and other interests before the government.
The report also revealed that a significant portion of the donations came from those who wished to remain anonymous.
This has led to concerns over transparency in the fundraising process for such a high-profile project.
Defense and investigation
White House defends fundraising efforts
The White House has defended its fundraising efforts but has not publicly released a complete list of donors.
Davis Ingle, a spokesperson for the administration condemned the leak of donor information as "cowardly" and said they would pursue those responsible.
The ballroom project, which Trump initially estimated would cost $400 million, has faced legal challenges but construction is ongoing after the US Supreme Court allowed it to proceed while a legal challenge continues.
About
The White House ballroom project
Trump's White House ballroom project will replace the historic East Wing with a 90,000-square-foot State Ballroom and underground security complex.
Designed to seat up to 1,000 guests, it will host formal state dinners and diplomatic events, expanding capacity beyond the East Room's 200-person limit.
While the final cost remains undisclosed, a June contractor estimate put the project at around $600 million, with more than half expected from taxpayers. The East Wing has already been demolished.