The Washington Post reported, based on an internal donor list it obtained, that Apple and Nvidia each pledged $25 million (about 34 billion won) toward the construction of a new White House ballroom promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump.
▶ The $25 million pledges are the largest corporate donations on the list. The individuals who gave the same amount were Miriam Adelson and Charlie Ergen.
▶ Microsoft, Palantir and Lockheed Martin each donated $10 million, while Amazon, Meta, Cisco and ServiceNow each gave $5 million. The technology industry contributed a total of $166.1 million—half of all private donations. At least $77 million came from anonymous donors.
▶ Nvidia said it requested anonymity, made its donation in October 2025 and that it was unrelated to an agreement on chip sales to China. Apple did not comment.
Apple and Nvidia were the companies that gave the most to the construction of President Trump’s White House ballroom.
The Washington Post reported on Oct. 15, citing an internal donor list it had obtained, that the two companies each pledged $25 million (about 34 billion won). Apple’s participation in the fundraising had previously been known, but this is the first time the amount has been disclosed.
Private donations total $333 million (about 450 billion won). The individuals who gave the same $25 million as Apple and Nvidia were Miriam Adelson, the widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, and Charlie Ergen, founder of satellite TV company Dish. The four donations together account for 30% of the total.
Technology companies contributed half
Technology companies gave a total of $166.1 million, half of the amount listed. Microsoft, Palantir and Lockheed Martin each donated $10 million. Amazon, Meta, Cisco and ServiceNow each gave $5 million. Funds associated with hedge fund managers Paul Singer of Elliott Management and Jeff Yass of Susquehanna, as well as Roblox founder David Baszucki, also gave $5 million apiece. The cryptocurrency industry and its investors contributed $18 million, and the Winklevoss brothers gave more than $5 million.
At least $77 million came from anonymous donors. A fund established by Trump attorney John Coale contributed $22 million. The fund was set up to collect the $24.5 million settlement Trump was due to receive in his lawsuit against YouTube. A foundation belonging to former Marvel chairman Isaac Perlmutter and his wife gave $20.3 million.
The project’s cost has continued to rise. Trump initially said it would cost $200 million and be built entirely with private donations. The current estimate is $600 million (about 810 billion won), with some of the cost to be covered by taxpayer money.
After Congress did not allocate funding, the project has relied on donations from companies and individuals. The construction involves demolishing the White House East Wing and building a ballroom for state dinners and large diplomatic events, along with offices and an underground security facility.
Donors have issues before the administration
Apple is facing a 2024 antitrust lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, which alleges that the company has made the iPhone ecosystem too restrictive.
Apple also manufactures products in China and India, leaving it exposed to the high tariffs on electronics made overseas that the Trump administration has said it plans to impose. Such tariffs could directly affect product margins and price competitiveness.
Nvidia faces the issue of obtaining approval to sell AI chips to China. EchoStar, led by Charlie Ergen, was previously the subject of an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which was later suspended.
Nonprofit watchdog groups have criticized the arrangement as a conflict of interest, arguing that large companies directly affected by government policies and regulations are making major contributions to a signature presidential project. The Washington Post noted that most donors have business ties to the Trump administration.
Nvidia said it requested anonymity, made its donation in October 2025 and that the gift was unrelated to an agreement on chip sales to China. It also said the donation went to a nonpartisan trust for the benefit of all Americans. Apple did not comment.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle declined to confirm individual donors to Reuters. He said the donations go to a nonpartisan trust that benefits all Americans and that the donors represent great American companies.