Apple and Nvidia Pledge $25 Million Each for Trump White House Ballroom Project

Apple and Nvidia have each pledged $25 million toward the construction of a new White House ballroom, according to internal fundraising records obtained by The Washington Post. These contributions make the two technology companies among the largest donors to the project, which has drawn significant scrutiny regarding its funding sources and transparency.

The leaked spreadsheet reveals that private donations for the ballroom have reached $333 million in total. Alongside Apple and Nvidia, other major contributors include the Adelson Family Foundation and the Charlie Ergen household and donor-advised fund. Each of these four entities contributed $25 million, collectively accounting for roughly 30 percent of the reported private contributions.

Project Costs and Funding Structure

A contractor estimate from June suggested the ballroom’s total cost would be around $600 million. The projection indicated that more than half of the funding would come from taxpayer funds, with the remainder covered by private donations. President Trump has stated the facility will be approximately 90,000 square feet and will seat 1,000 guests.

The Trump administration is collecting these ballroom donations through a nonprofit organization. According to the reports, the funds are then moved into a White House account controlled by Trump. The White House has not publicly disclosed the specific donation amounts, despite political giving typically requiring public disclosure and adherence to campaign finance rules.

Tech Sector Contributions

Other technology companies listed as donors include Microsoft, Comcast, Amazon, Cisco, Meta, T-Mobile, HP, Palantir, Salesforce, and Micron. Google contributed $22 million via the John P. Coale Esq. Trust, using settlement funds from Trump’s lawsuit against YouTube. Salesforce donated $2 million, with an additional $1 million coming from Benioff DAF.

Smaller tech contributions include $5 million each from Cisco, Coinbase, Ripple, ServiceNow, and T-Mobile. Kraken, a cryptocurrency exchange, and Vast Space, a space-station developer, each donated $1 million. A White House spokesperson said the administration will "relentlessly pursue those responsible" for the leaked list of donors.

What should you do?

Security professionals should monitor public disclosures regarding corporate political expenditures for potential compliance risks. Organizations should review their own policies on political contributions to ensure alignment with internal governance standards. Watch for further regulatory scrutiny of nonprofit fundraising mechanisms used for government projects.

What to do and how to stay safe: Apple

• Review corporate governance policies regarding political donations and public disclosure requirements.
• Monitor regulatory updates on campaign finance rules and nonprofit fund transfers.
• Assess public relations risks associated with high-profile political contributions.
• Ensure internal compliance teams are aware of all corporate political expenditures.

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General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.

Frequently asked questions

How much did Apple donate to the White House ballroom?

Apple pledged $25 million to the project, according to records obtained by The Washington Post.

Who are the other major tech donors?

Nvidia also pledged $25 million, while Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and others contributed smaller amounts.

Is the ballroom funded by taxpayers?

A June estimate suggested over half of the $600 million cost would come from taxpayer funds.