Both Engadget and The Verge are reporting on a Washington Post list of major donors to the White House ballroom project. They agree Apple and Nvidia are the largest tech contributors, each giving $25 million, and that the donor rolls are dominated by technology, telecom, and crypto companies. They differ mainly on the total: Engadget says the tech, telecom, and crypto industries gave more than $183 million, while The Verge puts Silicon Valley and crypto at over $150 million.
The Verge's partial list includes $22 million from Google, $10 million each from Palantir and Microsoft, and $5 million each from Amazon, Meta, T-Mobile, Cisco, and Coinbase. It also notes Google's contribution came through a controversial 2025 settlement. Engadget adds that Microsoft, Meta, Palantir, Amazon, Cisco, and other companies each gave millions, and that the project has drawn more than $77 million in funds that are not publicly disclosed.
Engadget reports that taxpayers could end up paying around half of the ballroom's estimated $600 million cost, and that Trump, who previously said he and his friends would pay for it, does not appear in the donor list. The White House has responded to the leak by vowing to pursue those responsible. Engadget also notes Apple has been trying to avoid tariffs, while The Verge's account focuses more on the scale of giving than on donors' motives.