The agreement, signed in early October, lays out the legal and financial structure for the roughly $400 million project which is one of the most significant changes to the White House in decades. It was finalised less than two weeks before demolition crews began tearing down the East Wing even as the administration had not publicly disclosed the plan earlier.
At the centre of the contract is a framework that allows donors to contribute anonymously while placing limited transparency requirements on the process. The project is being funded through private contributions managed by the Trust for the National Mall with involvement from the National Park Service and the White House.
The existence of the contract only became public after a lawsuit by watchdog group Public Citizen forced its release. The Washington Post, which reviewed the document, reported that provisions in the agreement restrict disclosure of donor identities and excludes the White House from conflict-of-interest protections.
The contract is based on standard fundraising agreements used by the National Park Service but with some key changes. It allows donors to stay anonymous and includes clauses that stop those involved from revealing their identities.
While there is a process to check conflicts of interest for the Park Service and the Interior Department, it does not clearly apply to the president, White House officials or the 14 other executive departments he oversees, the report mentioned.
It also stated that some of the known donors include Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Palantir and Google who have major federal contracts and ongoing business with the government. Critics say that allowing anonymous donations to a sitting president’s project could create the same kind of conflicts the agreement is supposed to prevent.
Legal experts have also flagged concerns over congressional oversight. Charles Tiefer, a former law professor involved in federal contracting oversight, said anonymity provisions could limit lawmakers’ ability to investigate funding sources. “If Congress knocks on the door, the White House is going to slam it shut,” he said.
“President Trump is working 24/7 to Make America Great Again, including his historic beautification of the White House, at no taxpayer expense,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told The Washington Post while defending the use of private funding.
Trump has said the ballroom is intended to host larger gatherings and VIP events and is aiming to have the project completed before his second term ends in 2029.
