Trump's push to have donors fund his $400 million White House ballroom might cost him the whole project
Source: The Independent
Trump’s push to have donors fund his $400 million White House ballroom might cost him the whole project
Donations get pushed through a nonprofit intermediary, which stands to see major profits as a result
Isabel Keane in New York
Tuesday 10 February 2026 13:43 GMT
President Donald Trump’s plan to have private donors fund his new $400 million White House ballroom may cost him the entire project, as a federal judge will soon decide whether the administration is allowed to rely on fundraising to bypass congressional approval.
U.S. District Judge Ricard Leon says he may rule this month on a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in December to halt the ballroom’s construction, according to the Washington Post.
Trump has argued that using private donations to pay for the project keeps the burden off taxpayers, but critics say the plan highlights a lack of transparency about how the expansion is being funded.
Democrats and watchdog groups have raised questions about the arrangement, which relies on donations from big corporations and businesses. The donations are then routed through a nonprofit intermediary, which also profits, having received millions of dollars in fees, according to the Post.
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Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-white-house-ballroom-judge-ruling-b2917465.html
Alternate link: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-push-donors-fund-400-134323938.html
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