Trump’s White House ballroom draws more scrutiny as Democrats question who’s paying and why

Senate Democrats are demanding that the Trust for the National Mall explain how it is managing the large volume of donations tied to President Trump’s estimated $400 million White House ballroom project. Lawmakers say the lack of transparency has made it impossible to determine whether donors are being promised access or influence in return for their financial support.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and several Democratic colleagues sent a letter this week giving the Trust two weeks to explain its role in overseeing the project’s funding. As reported by The Washington Post, the senators wrote that Congress and the public deserve clear answers about how the donations are being handled, particularly given President Trump’s personal involvement in both the design and fundraising for the ballroom.

The White House has repeatedly said private donors will cover the full cost of construction, but officials have declined to disclose the value of individual gifts or whether donors receive meetings or policy consideration. The scrutiny comes as Democrats look to sharpen their attacks on the administration, including shifting their focus after years of defending inflation policy.

Questions about transparency continue to mount

Some publicly identified donors include major corporations such as Google, Amazon, and Lockheed Martin, all of which have extensive business before the federal government. When questioned by lawmakers, companies offered varying explanations for their contributions, with Comcast saying its donation carried no conditions and Microsoft stating only that its gift was for construction.

The Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit that has previously managed restoration campaigns for sites like the Washington Monument, is responsible for handling the ballroom donations. Administration officials have suggested the Trust could receive hundreds of millions of dollars, and Democrats noted the organization is expected to retain about 2.5 percent of the total donations for its own use. The Trust has largely referred questions about the project to the White House and the National Park Service.

The ballroom would mark the most significant change to the White House grounds in decades, and Trump has been closely involved in shaping the project. Since announcing the plan last July, the administration has increased both the projected cost and seating capacity, with officials now saying the ballroom will hold about 1,000 people.

Trump recently acknowledged that the scope of the project expanded as more money came in, saying the building “just kept growing and growing.” His comments came amid other controversies surrounding the president’s priorities, including renewed attention on foreign policy threats and travel by lawmakers responding to them.

The lack of disclosure has also prompted legal challenges. Historic preservation groups sued the administration last month, arguing the project bypassed required federal review and lacked congressional approval for funding. The White House has denied the claims, and a hearing is tentatively scheduled for January 29 in U.S. District Court.

Administration officials have defended the rapid demolition of the East Wing annex, saying it was based on cost analysis. Joshua Fisher, a senior White House official overseeing the project, said demolition and reconstruction offered the lowest long-term cost.