Nvidia and Cisco confirmed multimillion-dollar donations to President Donald Trump's White House ballroom renovation project on Thursday, CNBC reported. Nvidia and Apple each pledged $25 million, while Cisco contributed $5 million, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post showing total donations exceeding $330 million. The donations were sent through a nonprofit trust, with lawmakers and experts raising concerns over potential influence on policy decisions and federal contract awards.
Nvidia and Apple Lead Donations with $25 Million Each
Nvidia and Apple each pledged $25 million to the project, according to The Washington Post report. These were among the largest donations on the list, which totaled more than $330 million. A Nvidia spokesperson told CNBC: "As an American company, our support for the United States is paramount, and independent of any business interests. We were proud to be able to make a donation to a nonpartisan trust that serves all Americans and have said so publicly since the donation was made."
Technology Companies Contribute Millions to Renovation Project
Amazon, Palantir, ServiceNow, Meta Platforms and Microsoft also contributed in the millions, according to The Post. Cisco confirmed its $5 million donation. Microsoft and Meta declined to comment on the report. Amazon, Apple, HP Inc., Micron, Palantir, Salesforce, ServiceNow and Vast Space, which were all listed as major donors in the report, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Donations Sent Through Nonprofit Trust
The Post reported that the ballroom donations were sent through a nonprofit trust, and donors received a pledge form for donating to the "Donald J. Trump Ballroom." The documents obtained by The Post showed 67 contributions above $10,000 as of late September.
Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Policy Influence
Lawmakers and experts have repeatedly called out donations to the project, requesting information on the private donors. Some have also raised concerns over the potential influence these commitments could have on policy decisions or any federal contract awards. Tech leaders have largely favored Trump's pro-business, light-touch approach to antitrust and regulation, and some companies have secured hundreds of millions in contracts through artificial intelligence infrastructure and defense deals during his second term.
Tech Leaders Attend White House Events
Tech leaders like Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang have been regulars at state dinners and meetings in Washington, and were central figures at the White House AI luncheon on Sept. 29.
FAQ
How much did Nvidia and Apple donate to Trump's ballroom project?
Nvidia and Apple each pledged $25 million to President Donald Trump's White House ballroom renovation project, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.
What concerns have been raised about the ballroom donations?
Lawmakers and experts have raised concerns over the potential influence these donations could have on policy decisions or any federal contract awards, and have requested information on the private donors.
