Recently released documents reveal a comprehensive list of affluent donors who supported President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom initiative, which includes previously unnamed contributors, as detailed in a report by The Washington Post.
The report highlighted notable donors such as pro-Israel investor Miriam Adelson, who offered $25 million, as well as tech companies Apple and Nvidia, each contributing the same amount. Charles Ergen, co-founder and chairman of Dish Network, joined them with a $25 million donation. Interestingly, although Trump asserted that the project would be funded entirely by him and his acquaintances, he has not personally contributed any funds, according to the outlet.
In total, private contributions amounted to $333 million, with at least $77 million originating from donors who preferred to remain anonymous.
Among other significant supporters were Google with $22 million from the John P. Coale Esq. Trust related to a lawsuit involving Trump’s YouTube, The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Foundation Inc. with over $20 million, and arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, along with Microsoft and Palantir, each donating $10 million. The report noted that a large portion of the funds came from donors who each contributed $5 million.
Details of the full donor list can be found in the original report.
Newly identified contributors also include Joseph Popolo Jr., appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, and his spouse, who together contributed $1 million shortly after his confirmation, and Isabela Herrera, daughter of banker and Venezuelan-Italian billionaire Julio Herrera Velutini, who pledged $2.5 million, with an initial payment of $835,000 made in October 2025. Interestingly, Julio Herrera Velutini, who faced indictment from the Department of Justice in 2022, received a pardon from Trump.
Another of the previously mentioned donors is Ergen, who faced scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) back in May 2025. After discussions with Trump and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, he brokered a deal to sell some licenses from his company, EchoStar, to AT&T, leading to the conclusion of the investigation in September 2025. Ergen subsequently made two separate donations of $12.5 million to the ballroom project, one in December 2025 and another in February thereafter.
Marc Benioff, the CEO of Salesforce, is also noted as a contributor, having pledged $1 million in September 2025. His company followed up with two more $1 million commitments in December 2025 and again on January 29. Interestingly, just days before, the Department of War had awarded Salesforce a substantial contract valued at up to $5.6 billion extending through 2035.
Additionally, billionaire Paul Singer dedicated $5 million to the project in October 2025, shortly before his hedge fund gained court approval to pursue the acquisition of the Venezuelan oil company Citgo for $5.9 billion.
