Construction has begun on a 90,000-square-foot ballroom at the White House’s East Wing, capable of hosting up to 1,000 guests. The $250 million project is privately funded, with no taxpayer money involved, according to the White House.
A list of donors released on Thursday includes major tech companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, alongside defense firms like Palantir and Lockheed Martin, telecom providers Comcast and T-Mobile, and crypto firms including Coinbase, Ripple, Tether America, and the Winklevoss twins. It is not yet clear how much each entity has contributed, though at least $20 million from Google comes from a lawsuit settlement related to YouTube’s suspension of Trump’s account after the January 6, 2021, riots.
The relationship between Silicon Valley and Trump has shifted over time. While many tech companies resisted Trump during his first term, donations have increased during his second term. Meta, for instance, contributed $1 million to Trump’s second inauguration after not donating in 2016, while Amazon raised its contribution from $58,000 to $1 million.
Experts suggest that the tech industry’s support may be linked to regulatory and policy priorities. Many major tech firms face antitrust litigation, and the Trump administration has taken a comparatively lighter approach than previous enforcement under President Biden. Trump has also pursued a more aggressive AI development agenda, aiming to reduce regulations and provide government support for building data centers, benefiting companies involved in AI technology.
These donations reflect growing alignment between Trump and influential technology companies as the White House moves forward with its ambitious private construction project.
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