President Donald Trump has begun construction on a $300 million ballroom in the former East Wing of the White House.
Construction, which began Monday, is the first major structural change to the complex since 1948. Demolition will include the existing east wing, which houses the first lady’s office and was used for ceremonies.
The effort is being funded by private donations from individuals, corporations and technology companies including Google and Amazon, raising uncomfortable questions about the level of access donors have to the most powerful people in the country.
The pledge, seen by CBS News, indicated that donors may be eligible to be “recognized” for their contributions. However, no further details were revealed.
How much does a new banquet hall cost?
Estimates for the construction cost of President Trump’s ornate 8,360 square meter (90,000 square foot) ballroom, which can seat 999 people, have fluctuated since plans were announced earlier this year.
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt suggested in a statement in August that the cost would be about $200 million. But this week, President Trump raised it to $300 million.
Construction began during the U.S. government shutdown and therefore began without approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal agency responsible for overseeing these closed projects.
Who is funding the ballroom?
On Monday, President Trump wrote on Truth Social: “For more than 150 years, every president has dreamed of having a ballroom in the White House that could accommodate people for lavish parties and state visits. I am honored to be the first president to finally take this much-needed project to fruition at zero cost to American taxpayers!”
He added that he also plans to contribute to the bill. “The White House Ballroom is privately funded by many generous patriots, great American businesses, and your very own funds.”
But at least some of the donations appear to be part of agreements made with President Trump on other issues.
YouTube will pay $22 million to build the ballroom as part of a legal settlement with President Trump related to a 2021 lawsuit that the president filed over the suspension of his account after the Capitol riot that year, when his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 to prevent the transition of the presidency to Joe Biden. YouTube and Google have the same parent company, Alphabet.
The White House did not say how much the donors would give. The list provided to the media by the White House also included other prominent donors, some of whom have recently been involved in legal disputes in the United States. They include:
Amazon
Last month, the Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with Amazon over allegations that the multinational tech company founded by Jeff Bezos signed up millions of consumers to its streaming platform Prime without their consent and made it difficult to cancel subscriptions.
Under the settlement, Amazon will pay $2.5 billion in penalties and refunds, amend its subscription process, and undergo compliance oversight.
apple
Apple, a US-based multinational company that manufactures iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks, is led by CEO Tim Cook.
On Tuesday, Apple asked a U.S. appeals court to overturn a federal judge’s ruling in April that blocked it from collecting fees on certain app purchases.
coinbase
Coinbase is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States. It is led by CEO Brian Armstrong.
On September 30, a U.S. federal judge ruled that shareholders can file a narrow lawsuit accusing the company of concealing key business risks, including the risk of litigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the risk of asset loss in bankruptcy.
Last month, the US Department of Justice won a major antitrust case against Google. A federal court has ruled that tech giants have an illegal monopoly on online search and search advertising.
lockheed martin
Aerospace and defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin is led by President and CEO Jim Teichlett.
Lockheed Martin agreed in February to pay $29.74 million to resolve federal allegations that it overbilled the U.S. government by submitting inflated cost data for the F-35 fighter jet contract from 2013 to 2015.
microsoft
The technology group, whose CEO is Satya Nadella, generated record revenue of $96.5 million in fiscal year 2025.
the latnick family
The Lutnick family has ties to businessman Howard Lutnick, who is also President Trump’s secretary of commerce.
Mr. Lutnick is the CEO of investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald. His company, Cantor Gaming, has previously been accused of repeatedly violating state and federal law, Politico reported in February.
winklevoss twins
Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss are listed as other donors.
The brothers are American investors and entrepreneurs, best known as co-founders of cryptocurrency exchanges Gemini and Winklevoss Capital.
Last month, the SEC agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Gemini over an unregistered cryptocurrency lending program it offered to retail investors.
Who else is on the list?
The list includes other companies, conglomerates, and individuals.
Altria Group Booze Allen Hamilton Caterpillar Comcast J Pepe and Emilia Fanjul Hard Rock International HP Meta Platform Micron Technology NextEra Energy Palantir Technology Ripple Reynolds American T-Mobile Tether America Union Pacific Adelson Family Foundation Stephen E. Brody Betty Wold Johnson Foundation Charles & Marissa Cascarilla Edward & Shari Glaser Harold Hamm Benjamin Leon Junior Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Foundation Stephen A. Schwartzman Konstantin Sokoloff Kelly Loeffler, Jeff Sprescher Paolo Tiramani
Is private funding for President Trump’s banquet hall ethical?
Constitutional lawyer Bruce Fein told Al Jazeera that the private funding violates anti-shortage laws.
The Shortages Act is a U.S. federal law that states that the executive branch of the government may not accept goods or services from private entities to perform official government functions unless Congress specifically authorizes funding.
The law protects “the power of the Congressional purse,” Fein said.
“Consider this analogy: Congress refuses to fund a wall with Mexico. Could Trump go ahead with the wall that Congress has refused to fund with money provided by Elon Musk and Trump’s other billionaire friends?”
Mr. Fein added: “Trump is completely transactional. Ballroom financiers will be given regulatory favors, appointments or pardons for federal crimes.”
