Democrats have introduced legislation aimed at restricting private donations for President Donald Trump's $300 million ballroom project at the White House. The Stop Ballroom Bribery Act, proposed by Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Representative Robert Garcia of California, would ban contributions from individuals with conflicts of interest, prohibit the president and vice president from donating, and require donors to use their real names.
The bill comes amid concerns that the project, which involves demolishing the East Wing to build a 90,000-square-foot gilded ballroom, could facilitate a pay-to-play scheme. Warren stated, “Billionaires and giant corporations with business in front of this administration are lining up to dump millions into Trump’s new ballroom. Americans shouldn’t have to wonder whether President Trump is building a ballroom to facilitate a pay-to-play scheme.”
Trump has claimed the project is funded by himself and friends, but a White House list of sponsors includes Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Coinbase, Ripple, the Winklevoss twins, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's family. Some donors have remained anonymous, prompting calls for transparency. The bill would require the National Park Service to publish donor names, amounts, and any meetings with officials quarterly.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a co-sponsor, noted that only 16 of 30 donors have replied to inquiries about their contributions, and none specified amounts. Trump has stated around $350 million has been raised. The bill also includes a two-year cooling-off period before donors can lobby the federal government and prohibits displaying donor names or logos.
The legislation is unlikely to pass in the Republican-controlled Congress and has no Republican co-sponsors. It would apply to construction on White House grounds, the vice president's residence, Camp David, Air Force One, and other properties regularly used by the president or vice president.
