Most Trump ballroom donors have received federal contracts in recent years: Watchdog

WASHINGTON – A majority of the corporate donors who have been named as

donors to US President Donald Trump’s ballroom construction project

have received government contracts in recent years, according to a report released on Nov 3 by a watchdog group.

Sixteen of the 24 donors have received federal contracts with the cumulative sum totalling US$279 billion (S$364 billion) over the past five years, according to the study by Public Citizen. The majority of those awards have gone to defence contractor Lockheed Martin, which was awarded US$191 billion in federal contracts during that period, according to the group founded by liberal activist Ralph Nader.

Many of the organisations – including Apple, Meta Platforms and Microsoft – have faced federal enforcement actions, had their businesses impacted by tariff policy or seen existing enforcement actions suspended by the Trump administration. Several of the companies have mergers pending before the government, including Comcast, which is weighing a bid for Warner Bros Discovery, and Union Pacific, which is seeking to merge with Norfolk Southern.

“These giant corporations aren’t funding the Trump ballroom debacle out of a sense of civic pride,” said Public Citizen co-president Robert Weissman in a statement. “They have massive interests before the federal government, and they undoubtedly hope to curry favour with, and receive favourable treatment from, the Trump administration.”

Mr Trump’s ballroom efforts, which have involved the total demolition of the White House’s East Wing, have drawn concern from Democrats on both preservation and ethical grounds and even became fodder for a Saturday Night Live sketch over the weekend.

A group of Senate Democrats last week called for “a complete accounting of all donations to the White House ballroom construction project, including the conditions under which contributions were made” in a letter to the White House.

The letter, prepared by Senator Adam Schiff of California, said Mr Trump’s project risked “blatant corruption as these companies and their stakeholders seek to position themselves in the government’s good graces”.

Mr Trump has defended his plans for the 90,000 sq ft ballroom, saying the event space was necessary because previous state dinners were held in an outdoor tent and that the US$300 million estimated cost would be covered by his “friends”.

Other donors include major crypto firms like Coinbase, Ripple Labs and Tether Holdings, as well as long-time Trump donors including billionaires Steve Schwarzman and Miriam Adelson, according to the White House. The donations are routed to the Trust for the National Mall, a non-profit partner of the National Park Service that helps restore and preserve historic landmarks and is not required to disclose its donors.

Mr Trump dismissed complaints about the process in October while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office.

“I haven’t been transparent? I’ve shown this to everybody that would listen,” Mr Trump said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also criticised questions about the donations.

“The same critics who are wrongly claiming there are conflicts of interest would complain if taxpayers were footing the bill,” Ms Leavitt said. BLOOMBERG