The majority of companies funding Donald Trump’s White House ballroom enjoyed lucrative government contracts even before signing up to the president’s pet project, according to a consumer rights watchdog.
The president claimed last week to have raised more than $350 million towards the 90,000-square-foot structure, which will tower over the ruins of the demolished East Wing.
The White House has even explored the idea of etching the names of major corporate donors onto the wall of the ballroom to record their generosity.
But according to the nonprofit Public Citizen, founded by the consumer activist Ralph Nader in 1971, those donations are chump change for Trump’s billionaire friends.
Its report says two-thirds of 24 known corporate donors collectively received $279 billion in federal contracts over five years—headlined by aerospace and defence firm Lockheed Martin’s $191 billion—while most face ongoing or recent legal actions by federal enforcers.
The group also tallies $1.6 billion in lobbying and political spending tied to the donors’ interests before the administration.
The report, “Banquet of Greed,” contends the gifts pose “inescapable” conflicts as the White House razes the East Wing for a privately financed showpiece—which the administration says is needed to host larger events—and the donations look like a down payment on favorable treatment.
“Millions to fund Trump’s architectural whims are nothing compared to the billions at stake,” the group argues in its paper.
Aside from Lockheed Martin’s $191 billion, Public Citizen’s list includes Microsoft earning about $2.3 billion in federal contracts since FY2021, with Caterpillar making roughly $900 million, Amazon around $600 million, and Comcast close to $400 million.
It was reported this week that the administration has worked to keep some donor names off a public list—despite pledges of transparency—including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, BlackRock, and Jeff Yass.
Demolition of the historic East Wing began on Oct. 20 and has proceeded even as basic planning oversight questions linger.
The Daily Beast has contacted Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Caterpillar, Amazon, Comcast, and the White House for comment.
