Trump's Ballroom Funders Revealed: Tech Giants and US Ambassador in the Netherlands
The US ambassador to the Netherlands, Joe Popolo, is contributing to the construction of the ballroom at the White House. Tech companies such as Nvidia and Apple have also opened their wallets, writes The Washington Post, which has obtained an overview listing the main funders of the project.
According to the newspaper, the list of donors raises questions about conflicts of interest: half of all donations come from companies or prominent individuals who have interests with the federal government. Transparency on this is lacking.
According to the newspaper, Ambassador Popolo and his wife transferred 1 million dollars at the end of last year. The donation came two months after the businessman was appointed ambassador to the Netherlands, at the end of October.
Nvidia, Apple and Lockheed Martin
The list, with the status up to the end of September, mentions 67 contributions of 10,000 dollars (8,900 euros) or more. For chip manufacturer Nvidia and Apple, it concerns 25 million dollars, Google has promised 22 million, and Microsoft and arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin have pledged 10 million.
Amazon, like The Washington Post owned by Jeff Bezos, has contributed 5 million to the project. Furthermore, 25 million dollars came from a fund of the late business magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife, which supports Israel and the Jewish people. He often donates generously to Republicans.
Last year, Trump declared that he himself would also contribute to the prestige project. "It will be paid one hundred percent by me and a few of my friends," said the president, but according to the newspaper, no contribution from his side can be found in the list.
Anonymity
In total, 333 million dollars have been pledged for the ballroom, of which 77 million dollars come from donors who indicated they wish to remain anonymous.
Democratic politicians had earlier unsuccessfully requested a list of funders and the circumstances of the donations. The money is managed by a fund that has made agreements with the federal government to keep the financiers secret. Political donations in the US are subject to regulations, but non-profit organizations are generally not required to disclose their donors.
It was already known that Nvidia had donated, but the company did not want to disclose the amount. Now the chipmaker says it is proud of the donation. "As an American company, our support for the United States comes first, regardless of business interests," said a spokesperson.
Critics say the fundraising method raises questions about the transparency of the donations and the influence of the funders. The White House rejects the criticism. "The same critics who claim there is a conflict of interest would also complain if taxpayers had to pay for the much-needed renovations," said a spokesperson.
For several donors, large interests were at stake in their relationship with Trump. For example, an investigation against the company of telecom director Charles Ergen (25 million) was dropped, and the Trump administration had to decide whether Nvidia could export to China. The father of Venezuelan-Italian Isabela Herrera (2.5 million) received a pardon from Trump in a bribery scandal.
Incidentally, The Washington Post reported earlier this year that half of the construction costs are paid with tax money. The total costs are said to have risen to 600 million dollars, whereas earlier 400 million was expected.
Shelters
Last year, Trump ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House. This housed, among other things, the residence's cinema and the offices of the first lady. Instead, a ballroom must be built which, according to the president, will accommodate nearly a thousand guests. He pointed out that the existing reception rooms are inadequate.
Under the party venue, a military bunker will be built, including shelters and installations to withstand drone and missile attacks. For that part of the plan, Trump unsuccessfully tried to secure one billion dollars from Congress this year. According to the president, the bunker is important for national security.
Besides a new ballroom at the White House, Trump has more construction plans in Washington. See more about this in this video: