Donor-Funded Trump White House Ballroom Sparks Controversy

The White House has released a donor roster for a privately funded 90,000-square-foot East Wing ballroom project, now estimated at roughly $300–$350 million and reportedly funded through the nonprofit Trust for the National Mall. The fundraising list includes major tech firms, cryptocurrency companies, defense contractors and wealthy individuals, with some gifts routed through nonprofits and many individual amounts undisclosed. Officials say taxpayers will not pay and no foreign donations will be accepted, but demolition of the historic East Wing is already underway and critics have raised preservation and transparency concerns. Reporting says fundraising has been led by Meredith O’Rourke and tapped 2024 campaign and inauguration backers, and that three Biden-appointed National Capital Planning Commission members were reportedly fired to clear regulatory obstacles. The project has also sparked controversy over reports it would be named “The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom,” a claim Trump has denied. The administration projects completion before Trump’s term ends in 2029, while watchdogs flag potential conflicts where some listed companies recently received federal contracts and the Trust may take administrative fees.