Crypto Billionaires and Tech Giants Secretly Funding Trump's $300 Million White House Ballroom

The Donors Behind Trump's $300 Million Ballroom

President Donald Trump claims his $300 million White House ballroom will be financed "100% by me and some friends of mine." The White House has released a list of 37 donors, featuring crypto billionaires, charitable organizations, sports team owners, powerful financiers, tech and tobacco giants, media companies, longtime Republican supporters, and several of the president’s neighbors in Palm Beach, Florida.

Incomplete Disclosure

The list is notably incomplete. It excludes Carrier Group, which offered to donate an HVAC system, and artificial intelligence chipmaker Nvidia, whose CEO Jensen Huang publicly discussed its donation. The White House has not disclosed individual contribution amounts, and most donors remained silent when contacted by The Associated Press.

A senior White House official stated the list has grown since October, but some companies prefer anonymity until financial disclosure regulations require public naming. The official confirmed no foreign individuals or entities are among the donors.

Tech Giants in the Spotlight

Amazon

• Background: Trump was once highly critical of founder Jeff Bezos but has softened his stance recently.
• Amazon donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, attended by Bezos.
• Its video streaming service paid $40 million for a documentary about first lady Melania Trump.
• Amazon Web Services is a major government contractor.

Apple

• Background: CEO Tim Cook has worked to improve relations with Trump after a rocky first term.
• Cook donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund and met with him at Mar-a-Lago.
• Trump threatened Apple with tariffs over plans to build facilities in India.
• Cook later announced Apple’s $600 billion U.S. manufacturing investment.

Google

• Background: Trump’s administration sued Google for antitrust violations, and he once suggested breaking up the company.
• Google donated $1 million to his inauguration, and CEO Sundar Pichai attended.
• YouTube (Google’s subsidiary) paid $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit with Trump, with $22 million going to the Trust for the National Mall, potentially funding ballroom construction.

HP

• Background: The Silicon Valley stalwart donated to Trump’s inaugural fund.
• CEO Enrique Lores participated in a White House roundtable and previously met with President Joe Biden.

Meta

• Background: Founder Mark Zuckerberg was critical of Trump in 2016, and Facebook suspended him after the Jan. 6 insurrection.
• Meta contributed $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, and Zuckerberg attended.

Micron Technology

• Background: The chipmaker secured $6.1 billion in government support under Biden for domestic chip production.
• Under Trump, Micron pledged $200 billion for U.S. memory chip expansion, though $120 billion was initially announced during Biden’s term.