1:33The work being done on the ballroom on the White House’s East Wing, viewed from atop the Washington Monument, on Nov. 17, 2025.ABC News
Due to persistent worries concerning the financing of a sizable, multimillion-dollar presidential ballroom at the White House, a number of Democratic legislators are poised to present the initial piece of legislation intended to govern the endeavor.
The forthcoming legislation, slated for introduction on Tuesday by Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia, would set novel boundaries on who is eligible to donate to ventures at the White House, as well as enact additional limitations on benefactors and their finances after a gift is given.
"Billionaires and massive corporations with ongoing matters before this government are lining up to pour funds into Trump’s new ballroom — and Trump is indicating where to sign. Americans shouldn’t need to question whether President Trump is establishing a ballroom to facilitate a quid pro quo arrangement for political benefits. My forthcoming legislation will put a stop to what appears to be blatant corruption,” Warren stated to ABC News.
The Stop Ballroom Bribery Act is a direct consequence of the ballroom’s construction at the White House. The entire East Wing of the White House was torn down to accommodate Trump's 90,000-square-foot ballroom, as demonstrated by aerial footage of the East Wing obtained by ABC News.
The work being done on the ballroom on the White House’s East Wing, viewed from atop the Washington Monument, on Nov. 17, 2025.ABC News
President Donald Trump has repeatedly affirmed that the $300 million undertaking will not be supported by taxpayer money. During comments made to the media in the Oval Office last month, Trump reiterated that the ballroom is being "fully funded by me and some friends of mine," making reference to contributors. "The government is paying absolutely nothing,” he declared.
The White House asserts that a complete registry of donors for the project has been made public, but sources have indicated to ABC News that certain contributors may remain anonymous.
Warren and Garcia’s legislation would mandate greater transparency by disallowing anonymous contributions, compelling benefactors to reveal whether they’ve engaged in discussions with any individual in the federal government, including the president or the vice president, and would suggest making public the identities of all donors.
Among the openly disclosed contributors are various prominent corporations possessing substantial contracts with or pending legal actions before the federal government. Entities such as Apple, Google, Palantir, and Lockheed Martin have all provided multimillion-dollar sums towards the initiative.
According to the Democratic proposition reviewed by ABC News, a significant number of these firms would be prohibited from offering contributions to the ballroom or comparable undertakings at the White House. Those involved in lawsuits or federal regulation, seeking agreements or allocations, or those having received a pardon or presidential designation from the current president would be barred from contributing.
The work being done on the ballroom on the White House’s East Wing, viewed from atop the Washington Monument, on Nov. 17, 2025.ABC News
The legislation would further elucidate that gifts cannot be compelled or conditional upon receiving a benefit from the federal government.
Moreover, the bill would enforce constraints on gifts post-donation by restricting the display of donor names or emblems and mandating that contributors wait a period of two years before lobbying the federal government.
"Donald Trump is acquiring hundreds of millions of dollars to construct a White House ballroom for himself at a juncture when countless American households can hardly meet their basic needs," Garcia communicated in a statement to ABC News. "It’s appalling that the White House is unwilling to reveal the entities financing Trump’s favored project, and that the people’s residence could be bankrolled by dubious individuals, unethical funds, and harmful entities. This legislation will forbid contributions from any party with a vested interest, avert corruption, and guarantee our capacity to hold any administration accountable for overt impropriety."
If approved, the bill could equally diminish Trump’s strategies for other development ventures.
A White House representative verified to ABC News that the president has secured $350 million for the ballroom project, surpassing the $300 million projected expenditure. Trump informed reporters in October that the additional capital could potentially be employed to assist in erecting a monumental triumphal arch — patterned after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris — which Trump has suggested building just outside Washington. Trump consistently designated the arch as the “Arc de Trump” during a dinner in October.
This recent legislation, reviewed by ABC News, would be applicable to monuments or other edifices that commemorate living presidents.
At present, the bill lacks any Republican co-sponsors. It is quite improbable that it would gain support in either the House or the Senate, and even less likely that Trump would enact it into law.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
