Nvidia, Apple among donors to Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom project: Report | Today’s news
Nvidia and Apple have each pledged $25 million for a White House ballroom designed by US President Donald Trump, as private donations for the project reached $333 million, The Washington Post reported Thursday.
The report raised questions about the interests of the companies and wealthy individuals funding the project. The Post reported that the vast majority of the money came from donors with vested interests ahead of the federal government. The report also said that companies or business executives who had federal government contracts during Trump’s second term accounted for half of the total funds raised.
Who donated everything
The Adelson family, longtime financial backers of Trump and the Republican Party, also pledged $25 million, as did billionaire Charles Ergen, co-founder and chairman of the telecommunications company Dish Network, the report said. Trump himself was not listed among the donors.
The White House declined to disclose details of the donations. Spokesman Davis Ingle said contributions came from a wide range of American companies and defended the fundraising effort, saying critics would also object if taxpayers had to pay for the renovations.
Nvidia said it was proud to contribute to a nonpartisan trust serving Americans, adding that its support for the U.S. is independent of commercial interests. “We were proud to make a donation to a nonpartisan trust that serves all Americans, and we’ve said so publicly since the donation was made,” Nvidia spokesman John Rizzo told The Post.
Ballroom financing is attracting attention
The scale of the project and the administration’s approach to fundraising and disclosure have drawn criticism from watchdog groups and legal experts, who have raised concerns about transparency, potential donor influence and compliance with established ethics and oversight practices.
Trump initially said he and wealthy donors would finance the estimated $400 million project. He later asked Congress for $1 billion for an underground bunker and other security features, but the request was unsuccessful.
The planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom is expected to seat about 1,000 guests. Trump said it would include bomb shelters, medical facilities and defenses against drones and missiles, calling the project a national security requirement, Reuters reported.
Opposition from preservationists
The development has also faced opposition from conservationists and other critics who say Trump overstepped his authority by demolishing the historic east wing to make way for construction.
In August, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed construction to continue, while Trump challenged a court order seeking to halt much of the development. In a dissenting opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said the project was “probably illegal.”
