Crypto Titans Join Trump’s White House Fundraiser for $250M Ballroom Project

US President Donald Trump brought together some of the most influential names in crypto at a White House fundraiser this week. Coinbase, Ripple, Tether, and the Winklevoss twins prominently represented the industry. 

The gala unveiled plans for a massive new ballroom at the presidential residence, part of Trump’s privately funded expansion efforts. Guests were invited to contribute to the construction project.

Crypto Heavyweights Join Trump’s Latest Gala Dinner

Trump hosted 128 leading figures from business and finance at a gala on Wednesday. The event was part of his ongoing campaign to construct a $250 million ballroom for the White House.

The dinner’s guest list notably featured several prominent figures from the cryptocurrency sector. Among them were representatives from Coinbase, Ripple, Tether, and the Winklevoss twins of the Gemini exchange.

In addition to crypto, the event drew executives from major corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Palantir and representatives from telecom leaders T-Mobile and Comcast. Tobacco producers Altria and Reynolds American were also present.

🚨🇺🇸 TRUMP COURTS DONORS WITH WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM DINNERTrump has invited his biggest donors to a glitzy White House dinner celebrating the $250 million ballroom now under construction.The event pulls in a who’s who of financiers and power brokers eager to stay in the…

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 16, 2025

The guest list also included several wealthy families and longtime Trump allies, including the Lutnick family, oil magnate Harold Hamm, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers owners Edward and Shari Glazer.

The event quickly raised questions about how wealthy donors might use these contributions to gain influence over Trump.

Privately Funded, Publicly Debated

Over the summer, the Trump administration revealed plans for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom for the presidential residence’s East Wing. The White House said private donors, rather than taxpayers, will entirely finance the construction costs.

Trump noted that the new venue would hold up to a thousand guests and feature bulletproof glass on all sides. Officials described the project as a long-awaited upgrade to accommodate large-scale events such as state dinners.

Although it remains uncertain how many of the 128 attendees contributed, Trump reportedly thanked those present for donating “tremendous amounts of money.” He also stated that the project’s funding was already “fully taken care of.”

The event quickly sparked criticism. Leaders like Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned whether Trump’s acceptance of ballroom donations could be tied to favorable treatment for attendees.

What are these billionaires and giant corporations getting in exchange for donating to Donald Trump's $200 million ballroom? Do they think we're dumb enough to believe they're giving their money away for free?

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) October 15, 2025

Although YouTube representatives did not attend Wednesday’s gala, the platform agreed last month to contribute $22 million to the ballroom project as part of a settlement with Trump. The donation resolved a lawsuit he had filed against YouTube and its CEO over the temporary suspension of his account following the 2021 Capitol riot.

The gathering also echoed Trump’s earlier private dinner at his Virginia golf club in May, organized for the top 220 holders of his meme coin. The 25 largest investors were also treated to a private tour of the White House.