The list of donors for the White House ballroom has been publicly released, shedding light on which corporations and wealthy individuals are helping fund the $300 million event space project at the White House. As of late October 2025, the new ballroom replacing the East Wing is being financed through private donations and personal contributions—not taxpayer funds.
Table of Contents
Major Donor Categories and Key Names
Here are the main categories of donors and notable names associated with the “donors for the White House ballroom” project.
Tech & Big Tech Firms
- Apple Inc.
- Amazon.com, Inc.
- Microsoft Corporation
- Meta Platforms, Inc.
- Palantir Technologies Inc.
These companies are listed among the donors that the White House released on October 22, 2025.
Defense, Energy, Crypto & Other Corporations
- Lockheed Martin Corporation (defense contractor)
- Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. (consulting firm)
- Caterpillar Inc.
- NextEra Energy, Inc.
- T-Mobile US, Inc.
- Coinbase Global, Inc. & Ripple Labs Inc. (crypto firms)
These reflect a broad base of industries providing funding.
High-Net-Worth Individuals and Family Foundations
- Adelson Family Foundation
- Stephen A. Schwarzman (Blackstone CEO)
- Harold Hamm (oil tycoon)
- Tyler Winklevoss & Cameron Winklevoss (crypto entrepreneurs)
- Isaac “Ike” Perlmutter & Laura Perlmutter (Perlmutter Foundation)
- Other private individuals listed in the donor list.
Purpose and Construction Details
The new ballroom is being built on the site of the former East Wing of the White House.
- The original announcement cited a ~90,000-square-foot structure with seating for 650 guests.
- In more recent updates, the cost estimate rose to roughly $300 million, and the planned seating capacity increased (some reports say up to 999 guests) under the leadership of Donald J. Trump.
- Construction began in September 2025, and demolition of part of the East Wing already commenced in October 2025.
- The project is being funded entirely via private donations and Trump’s own funds, with no taxpayer dollars allocated.
Why Are Donors Contributing?
The question of why these major donors are contributing to the White House ballroom project draws several explanations and critiques.
- Some donors appear motivated by loyalty or alignment with the Trump administration’s agenda.
- Others may seek favorable access or policy outcomes, given many of the donating companies have regulatory or federal-contract interests. For example:
- Palantir has received sweeping government contracts.
- Google/Alphabet reportedly gave $22 million as part of a settlement tied to the project.
- Ethics experts and legislators cite potential conflicts of interest: that the “donors for the White House ballroom” may gain influence or favorable conditions in return.
Public and Legal Backdrop
- Historic preservationists and many Americans expressed alarm at the rapid demolition of the East Wing and the secrecy surrounding the plans. Public polls found roughly 53% disapproval of the demolition.
- Because the project is privately funded, construction continues even during the federal government shutdown of October 2025, according to White House communications.
- While the White House released a list of donors (37 names) on October 22, 2025, the amount of each individual contribution remains undisclosed.
List Snapshot of Donors for the White House Ballroom
Below is a selective list of donors (corporations + individuals) publicly identified as of October 2025.
| Category | Example Donors |
|---|---|
| Technology | Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Palantir |
| Defense/Energy | Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, NextEra Energy |
| Crypto/Finance | Coinbase, Ripple, Winklevoss twins |
| Others | T-Mobile, Caterpillar, Altria Group |
| Individuals | Adelson Family Foundation, Stephen Schwarzman, Harold Hamm, Perlmutter Foundation |
(Full donor list comprised 37 names from multiple industries)
Implications and Takeaways
- The donor list signals major corporations and wealthy individuals are willing to contribute to high-profile presidential-era construction at the White House.
- Given the donor profiles, questions about influence and transparency are central: what, if anything, the contributors receive in return is under scrutiny.
- The private funding model sidesteps taxpayer spending, but brings a new set of accountability concerns in terms of naming rights, access, and governance.
- For U.S. audiences, the “donors for the White House ballroom” phrase now carries dual meaning: it represents both the funding mechanism and the broader ethical & political debate.
- The project also symbolizes how physical spaces at national landmarks can become venues for private-public interaction beyond traditional budgeting and oversight.
