Ripple joins tech giants in lobbyist chain behind Trump White House Ballroom

Major technology and defense firms, including Ripple, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple, are linked to a fundraising network for the White House Ballroom Project that is interconnected with major Washington lobbyist firms. 

The review identifies three prominent lobbyists, Brian Ballard, Jeff Miller and Reince Priebus, whose firms account for two-thirds of the corporate donors identified so far. Those firms include Ballard Partners and the Priebus-affiliated firm, both of which count Ripple among their clients.

A new Public Citizen report finds that three powerful Washington lobbyists Brian Ballard, Jeff Miller, and Reince Priebus are deeply tied to the fundraising for the Trump White House Ballroom Project. Their firms represent two thirds of all corporate donors identified so far,…

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Lobbyist network and donor concentration

The report discloses that the three lobbyist firms form a core network driving fundraising for the 90,000-square-foot ballroom project. About two-thirds of the donations identified so far come from clients of these firms. Among them are technology companies, defense contractors and energy firms.

For example, the same donor list includes Palantir, T-Mobile, Lockheed Martin and NextEra Energy, many of whom have had federal contracts or enforcement actions paused under the current administration.

Donations for the project are channelled through the Trust for the National Mall, which also serves as the fundraising channel for the ballroom project. However, the Trust has informed Congress it is not soliciting donations for the ballroom and is not involved in planning the facility, leaving unanswered questions about who is soliciting contributions and managing the fundraising process. 

Reports indicate that Microsoft and Amazon received outreach from fundraisers in late summer. Microsoft’s executives attended a dinner in the White House’s East Room on October 15, following an invitation to a donation event. Amazon also engaged through its public policy team. Nvidia stated to congressional staff that it asked the Trust to notify it before any public disclosure of its involvement.

Congressional inquiries and disclosure concerns

Senator Richard Blumenthal and other members of the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations have sent at least nine letters to more than 40 companies, foundations, and individuals involved in the ballroom project. 

Some of the respondents include Amazon, Apple, Ripple, Coinbase, Comcast, Google, HP, Meta, Micron Technology, Microsoft, and T-Mobile. Sixteen organizations responded, all of which gave no particular contribution amounts. The questions are based on the availability of anonymity options to donors and their amounts, with most companies referring to either corporate participation or federal regulations, but providing limited, definitive information.

Blumenthal also co-sponsored a bill to prohibit lobbyists from fundraising at presidential properties and to require the disclosure of relationships between fundraising and federal officials, as well as the transparency of contributions. The bill is facing stiff opposition in a Congress dominated by Republicans, with the White House declining to comment on the legislation.

In one of the visits to the White House Oval Office, President Donald Trump wrote that the new, bigger ballroom would allow hosting more guests during official events and dinners, mentioning the lack of space at the available facilities. The congressional staff is still reviewing documentation and can take additional steps should voluntary responses be insufficient.