SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
US President Donald Trump speaks about his plans for a new ballroom during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on October 22, 2025.
(Photo by Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Who's Financing Trump's Gilded Ballroom? Weapons Makers, Tech Giants, Private Equity, and More
"Demolishing the East Wing is bad enough, but carving the names of corporations and billionaires into the White House walls would mark a permanent scar on the People's House."
Oct 24, 2025
Amazon, Apple, Lockheed Martin, Google, Altria, and Union Pacific Railroad are among the dozens of corporations bankrolling US President Donald Trump's ongoing effort to replace the East Wing of the White House—which is now reduced to rubble—with a gaudy, 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
The White House released the list of donors on Thursday as the expected price tag of the project grew to $300 million.
Watchdogs said the ballroom represents yet another way in which Trump is inviting corporate influence peddling. Earlier reporting from CBS News indicated that some donors could have their names etched on the walls of the gold-encrusted ballroom.
"Demolishing the East Wing is bad enough, but carving the names of corporations and billionaires into the White House walls would mark a permanent scar on the People's House," said Jon Golinger, a democracy advocate with Public Citizen, said in a statement Thursday.
"Money buys access and influence and, in this case, a long-term presence on the White House wall," Golinger added. "This is easily understood and blatantly disgusting."
Below is the full list of names, including individuals and corporations, provided by the White House:
- Altria Group
- Amazon
- Apple
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Caterpillar
- Coinbase
- Comcast
- José and Emilia Fanjul
- Hard Rock International
- HP
- Lockheed Martin
- Meta
- Micron Technology
- Microsoft
- NextEra Energy
- Palantir Technologies
- Ripple
- Reynolds American
- T-Mobile
- Tether America
- Union Pacific Railroad
- Adelson Family Foundation
- Stefan E. Brodie
- Betty Wold Johnson Foundation
- Charles and Marissa Cascarilla
- Edward and Shari Glazer
- Harold Hamm
- Benjamin Leon Jr.
- The Lutnick family
- The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Foundation
- Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Konstantin Sokolov
- Kelly Loeffler and Jeff Sprecher
- Paolo Tiramani
- Cameron Winklevoss
- Tyler Winklevoss
Economist Paul Krugman wrote Friday that "it may seem like a trivial story, but it's a highly visual metaphor for the way MAGA is tearing down almost everything good about our country."
"In true Trumpian style, this act of vandalism is being paid for by large corporate donors—mostly tech and crypto companies—seeking to buy Trump's favor," wrote Krugman. "I am sure there will be a Trump meme-coin dispenser installed on every table."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Amazon, Apple, Lockheed Martin, Google, Altria, and Union Pacific Railroad are among the dozens of corporations bankrolling US President Donald Trump's ongoing effort to replace the East Wing of the White House—which is now reduced to rubble—with a gaudy, 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
The White House released the list of donors on Thursday as the expected price tag of the project grew to $300 million.
Watchdogs said the ballroom represents yet another way in which Trump is inviting corporate influence peddling. Earlier reporting from CBS News indicated that some donors could have their names etched on the walls of the gold-encrusted ballroom.
"Demolishing the East Wing is bad enough, but carving the names of corporations and billionaires into the White House walls would mark a permanent scar on the People's House," said Jon Golinger, a democracy advocate with Public Citizen, said in a statement Thursday.
"Money buys access and influence and, in this case, a long-term presence on the White House wall," Golinger added. "This is easily understood and blatantly disgusting."
Below is the full list of names, including individuals and corporations, provided by the White House:
- Altria Group
- Amazon
- Apple
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Caterpillar
- Coinbase
- Comcast
- José and Emilia Fanjul
- Hard Rock International
- HP
- Lockheed Martin
- Meta
- Micron Technology
- Microsoft
- NextEra Energy
- Palantir Technologies
- Ripple
- Reynolds American
- T-Mobile
- Tether America
- Union Pacific Railroad
- Adelson Family Foundation
- Stefan E. Brodie
- Betty Wold Johnson Foundation
- Charles and Marissa Cascarilla
- Edward and Shari Glazer
- Harold Hamm
- Benjamin Leon Jr.
- The Lutnick family
- The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Foundation
- Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Konstantin Sokolov
- Kelly Loeffler and Jeff Sprecher
- Paolo Tiramani
- Cameron Winklevoss
- Tyler Winklevoss
Economist Paul Krugman wrote Friday that "it may seem like a trivial story, but it's a highly visual metaphor for the way MAGA is tearing down almost everything good about our country."
"In true Trumpian style, this act of vandalism is being paid for by large corporate donors—mostly tech and crypto companies—seeking to buy Trump's favor," wrote Krugman. "I am sure there will be a Trump meme-coin dispenser installed on every table."
From Your Site Articles
- 'Pay for Access': Critics Level Corruption Charges at Trump Over White House Ballroom Dinner ›
- Opinion | Before the Dust Settles: A Strategy for Reclaiming the People's House | Common Dreams ›
- Report Details Massive Federal Contracts, Enforcement Actions Against Trump's Ballroom Donors | Common Dreams ›
- Dems Introduce Bill to 'Stop Apparent Bribery Involving Trump Ballroom Donations' | Common Dreams ›
- 50 State Lawmakers Condemn $1 Billion From Taxpayers for Trump Ballroom as Families 'Squeezed' Nationwide | Common Dreams ›
- Trump Demands Senate Fire Parliamentarian as GOP Drops $1 Billion for Ballroom From Bill | Common Dreams ›
Amazon, Apple, Lockheed Martin, Google, Altria, and Union Pacific Railroad are among the dozens of corporations bankrolling US President Donald Trump's ongoing effort to replace the East Wing of the White House—which is now reduced to rubble—with a gaudy, 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
The White House released the list of donors on Thursday as the expected price tag of the project grew to $300 million.
Watchdogs said the ballroom represents yet another way in which Trump is inviting corporate influence peddling. Earlier reporting from CBS News indicated that some donors could have their names etched on the walls of the gold-encrusted ballroom.
"Demolishing the East Wing is bad enough, but carving the names of corporations and billionaires into the White House walls would mark a permanent scar on the People's House," said Jon Golinger, a democracy advocate with Public Citizen, said in a statement Thursday.
"Money buys access and influence and, in this case, a long-term presence on the White House wall," Golinger added. "This is easily understood and blatantly disgusting."
Below is the full list of names, including individuals and corporations, provided by the White House:
- Altria Group
- Amazon
- Apple
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Caterpillar
- Coinbase
- Comcast
- José and Emilia Fanjul
- Hard Rock International
- HP
- Lockheed Martin
- Meta
- Micron Technology
- Microsoft
- NextEra Energy
- Palantir Technologies
- Ripple
- Reynolds American
- T-Mobile
- Tether America
- Union Pacific Railroad
- Adelson Family Foundation
- Stefan E. Brodie
- Betty Wold Johnson Foundation
- Charles and Marissa Cascarilla
- Edward and Shari Glazer
- Harold Hamm
- Benjamin Leon Jr.
- The Lutnick family
- The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Foundation
- Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Konstantin Sokolov
- Kelly Loeffler and Jeff Sprecher
- Paolo Tiramani
- Cameron Winklevoss
- Tyler Winklevoss
Economist Paul Krugman wrote Friday that "it may seem like a trivial story, but it's a highly visual metaphor for the way MAGA is tearing down almost everything good about our country."
"In true Trumpian style, this act of vandalism is being paid for by large corporate donors—mostly tech and crypto companies—seeking to buy Trump's favor," wrote Krugman. "I am sure there will be a Trump meme-coin dispenser installed on every table."
From Your Site Articles
- 'Pay for Access': Critics Level Corruption Charges at Trump Over White House Ballroom Dinner ›
- Opinion | Before the Dust Settles: A Strategy for Reclaiming the People's House | Common Dreams ›
- Report Details Massive Federal Contracts, Enforcement Actions Against Trump's Ballroom Donors | Common Dreams ›
- Dems Introduce Bill to 'Stop Apparent Bribery Involving Trump Ballroom Donations' | Common Dreams ›
- 50 State Lawmakers Condemn $1 Billion From Taxpayers for Trump Ballroom as Families 'Squeezed' Nationwide | Common Dreams ›
- Trump Demands Senate Fire Parliamentarian as GOP Drops $1 Billion for Ballroom From Bill | Common Dreams ›
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy