The Trump administration has kept some of the donors to the White House ballroom project anonymous, despite a previous promise of transparency, The New York Times reported on Saturday.
The official donor list released in October by the White House showed that of the more than three dozen donors, names of several companies and individuals had been omitted, as well as donation amounts, the Times noted.
Private donors have pledged roughly $200 million for the 90,000-square-foot project, to be called the Donald J. Trump Ballroom, as part of an expansion to the East Wing. First unveiled in July 2025, the ballroom will seat up to 650 guests for formal events, far exceeding the East Room’s capacity of about 200.
Critics argue that the vast sums of money flowing into one of Trump’s legacy projects will do little to dispel the perception that those in the president’s donor circle could be rewarded with favorable policy decisions.
Among the companies and individuals not revealed by the White House are two healthcare firms seeking to expand Medicare reimbursements for their services, financial giant BlackRock, and Jeff Yass, a major investor in TikTok’s parent company. That firm has relied heavily on favorable decisions from the Trump administration to continue operating in the U.S.
Last month, Trump hosted donors to his planned White House ballroom for a dinner in the East Room that included major business leaders.
Prominent donors in attendance included executives from Google, R.J. Reynolds, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, Palantir, and Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone Group, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The dinner was titled “Establish the Magnificent White House Ballroom,” according to invitations reviewed by the outlet.
The ballroom’s construction is among several renovation projects Trump has initiated at the White House. He has paved over the Rose Garden lawn, redecorated the Oval Office, and unveiled renderings for a proposed arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
In a statement to the NY Times, a White House official said the identities of donors “who wish to be named publicly” will be disclosed, but that “donors also have the option to remain anonymous, and we will honor that if that’s what they choose.”
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