Democrats grill 5 tech giants over Trump's new ballroom

Several Democratic lawmakers in Congress are pressing five major technology companies for clarification regarding their financial contributions to a new ballroom being funded by President Donald Trump. On Thursday, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Dave Min spearheaded letters to the CEOs of Nvidia, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon, requesting detailed information about their political donations.

The lawmakers suggest these contributions could lead to preferential treatment from federal authorities and may even breach legal boundaries. "These donations could create a scenario where contributions to the ballroom result in regulatory or other benefits from the government," the letter stated, signed by nine additional Democrats. "If the funds were intended to sway government decisions, it might constitute a violation of federal bribery laws."

The letters ask for specifics on when the donations were made, the scope of the companies' dealings with the federal government, whether the contributions were coordinated with Trump's team, and if any tax advantages were anticipated. Representatives from Nvidia, Meta, Apple, and Amazon have not immediately replied to requests for comment, while Microsoft declined to respond to the inquiry. A spokesperson for Nvidia told the Wall Street Journal, "As an American company, our support for the United States is paramount, and independent of any business interests."

Trump has demolished the East Wing to construct the new ballroom as part of a broader renovation of the White House. Although the project is to be privately financed, critics argue it creates opportunities for corruption. Several of the questioned companies maintain significant dealings with the federal government. For instance, Amazon is defending itself against an ongoing antitrust case from the Federal Trade Commission and recently settled a separate case involving alleged deceptive practices with its Prime membership.

Author: Sophia Brooks