Apple, Nvidia and Google funnel millions into Trump's White House ballroom

Apple and Nvidia each donated $25 million to fund a new White House ballroom project, according to multiple reports. They're not alone—Microsoft kicked in $10 million, while Amazon, Meta and T-Mobile each gave $5 million.

The biggest chunk came from Google, which contributed $22 million as part of a settlement. That money resolved Trump's lawsuit over YouTube suspending his account after January 6, 2021.

Comcast added $7.5 million to the pile. Outside the tech world, Charlie Ergen donated $25 million, the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Foundation gave over $20 million, and Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss together donated over $5 million in bitcoin.

What the money's for

The Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring the White House grounds, collected the donations. The ballroom will occupy the footprint where the East Wing currently stands.

Plans call for roughly 90,000 square feet of space with seating for 650 people. Donors have given approximately $330 million total, though the actual project cost remains unclear—sources cite figures anywhere from $300 million to $600 million.

On August 31, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to let the construction move forward.

Why it matters

These are the same companies that power your phone, run your cloud storage, make your graphics cards and stream your shows. Seeing them line up with eight-figure checks to a politically charged construction project is unusual, especially when some of those donations came right after legal settlements.

For now, it doesn't change what's in your Steam library or which console you should buy. But it's a reminder that the companies behind your tech have interests that go way beyond making good products.