Full Breakdown
Donors Behind the White House Ballroom Project
By Drooid · · How we work
Funding Overview
Secret documents obtained by *The Washington Post* detail the sources of money for the planned White House ballroom. Private contributions total roughly $333 million, of which about $77 million came from donors who requested anonymity. The largest single pledges are $25 million each from technology giants Nvidia and Apple, the Adelson family, and Dish Network chairman Charles Ergen. Google contributed $22 million, while the Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Foundation gave more than $20 million. Defense contractor Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, RHI II LLC, and Palantir each pledged $10 million. Comcast’s commitment stands at $7.5 million, and a group of firms—including Amazon, Meta, Cisco, ExtremityCare, T-Mobile, ServiceNow, Altria Group, Caterpillar and the Baszucki Gift Fund—donated $5 million each. NextEra Energy added $4 million.
Crypto and Individual Contributions
The crypto sector supplied $18.1 million, with $5.1 million from twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, $5 million from Ripple Labs, and $5 million from Coinbase. Venezuelan-born investor Isabela Herrera pledged a total of $2.5 million; her first $835,000 installment was paid in October 2025, and a second payment was due in the month of the report. Herrera’s father, Venezuelan banker Herrera Velutini, received a presidential pardon in January 2026.
White House Reaction
When asked to comment, a White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, issued a statement that avoided the specific donation details. Ingle characterized the leak as “cowardly” and pledged to pursue those responsible, while defending the privacy of donors. He also accused *The Washington Post* of “trafficking in leaks” that threaten the reputation of a “completely apolitical organization” and the free-speech rights of donors supporting the “Make America Great Again” agenda.
Project Timeline
President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at the construction site on May 19, 2026. Construction activity was documented as continuing on August 26, 2026, at the location where the East Wing once stood.
Implications
The disclosed donor list links major corporations and crypto firms to a high-profile White House renovation, raising questions about the influence of large financial contributions on federal projects. The White House’s defensive stance underscores the tension between donor privacy claims and public calls for transparency in government-funded initiatives.