The Trump administration reached out to Microsoft for a donation to help fund the White House’s $300 million ballroom, according to documents released by Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) office. “At that time, Microsoft received information about the Trust for the National Mall managing contributions for this project with the National Park Service, along with instructions on how to donate and an invitation to a dinner for supporters, which Microsoft attended,” Christian noted.
In a separate letter, Amazon’s vice president of public policy, Brian Huseman, confirmed that the e-commerce giant began engaging with the fundraising group working on the project in August 2025. Huseman clarified that Amazon “did not review any construction plans or enter into an agreement related to the donation.”
Comcast also sent a letter stating that the company “pledged an unrestricted donation to the Trust for the National Mall,” specifying there were “no specific limitations or conditions on how the proceeds were to be used or spent.” They indicated the donation was made “with no expectations of receiving anything in return.”
Other companies such as Meta, Nvidia, and Apple provided fewer details about the donation process. For instance, Tim Powderly, Apple’s head of government affairs, stated the donation was “handled ethically, honestly, and in full compliance with the law.”
Disclosure: Comcast is an investor in Vox Media, the parent company of The Verge.
