Who’s funding Trump’s $250M ballroom renovation?
President Trump announced plans to build a White House ballroom in July marking the first significant renovation to “the People’s House” in decades.
The president is slated to spend $250 million on the project, which he says will ease the burden of hosting large state dinners and other events that have a limited capacity due to available space. Some larger events are hosted outside the White House in temporary structures.
Site demolition began Monday to create space for the ballroom, despite the lack of approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, according to NPR.
The president has hired Clark Construction to build the new ballroom addition, with design renderings from McCrery Architects, the White House said.
The new ballroom is set to be developed as an extension of the East Room and is expected to hold up to 650 people. On Monday, Trump said it may hold “999” people.
The project is being funded completely by private donors instead of taxpayer dollars, according to the White House.
Here’s all you need to know about who’s funding the new space:
Trump’s portion
Trump has committed to using some of his personal wealth, made through real estate and other ventures and valued at $7.1 billion, to finance the new space.
“For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social.
“The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly. This Ballroom will be happily used for Generations to come!” he added.
Trump’s contribution amount has not yet been revealed. The Hill reached out to the White House for comment.
Lockheed Martin
To date, aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin has been highlighted as one of the project’s largest donors. One source told CBS the company has pledged more than $10 million for the ballroom’s advancements.
“Lockheed Martin is grateful for the opportunity to help bring the President’s vision to reality and make this addition to the People’s House, a powerful symbol of the American ideals we work to defend every day,” the company said in a statement to The Hill.
Booz Allen Hamilton
Management consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton has initial plans to fund the 90,000-square-foot ballroom project.
Representatives attended the dinner hosted exclusively for ballroom donors at the White House last Wednesday, according to a guest list obtained by The Hill.
The company did not immediately respond to The Hill’s requests for comment.
Blackstone CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman
Schwarzman is expected to contribute to the ballroom, which the White House has said will be separated from the main building of the White House. The CEO attended last week’s White House dinner for donors.
Settlement from Trump’s case against YouTube
Last month, YouTube agreed to pay the president $24.5 million at the conclusion of a four-year legal battle with the leader regarding the removal of his account after the 2021 Capitol riot.
A settlement filed in the U.S. District Court in Northern California says $22 million of the funds granted to Trump will be used to support the development of a White House ballroom project.
Google, which owns YouTube, has committed to funding at least $5 million or more for the White House ballroom project. The company, alongside other potential donors, has been provided with a pledge agreement for “The Donald J. Trump Ballroom at the White House,” CBS reported.
Google did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the matter. However, executives were seen at Wednesday’s White House dinner.
Companies are being asked to contribute a lump sum or pay in up to three installments to be completed by 2027, CBS reported.
Alphabet
Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has also been listed as a separate donor for the project. Its contribution amount has not yet been revealed. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai talked with Trump directly during a White House dinner for tech executives last month, according to White House pool reports.
The president congratulated the executive for securing a favorable ruling after the Department of Justice decided against a market cap following allegations that the holding company was engaged in a monopoly.
The ruling was announced prior to YouTube’s settlement with Trump.
Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Meta Platforms, Apple, Coinbase, Comcast, T-Mobile, the Adelson Family Foundation and crypto investors Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss have also been listed as potential donors for the project, according to a guest memo for Wednesday’s dinner obtained by The Hill.
Carrier Global Corp. has also offered to provide heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems for the ballroom.
“Carrier is honored to provide the new iconic ballroom at the White House with a world-class, energy-efficient HVAC system, bringing comfort to distinguished guests and dignitaries in this historic setting for years to come,” the company told The Associated Press on Monday.
The White House has said contributors are eligible for “recognition associated with the White House Ballroom.”
“President Trump is a builder at heart and has an extraordinary eye for detail,” White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said.
“The President and the Trump White House are fully committed to working with the appropriate organizations to preserving the special history of the White House while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future Administrations and generations of Americans to come.”