Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed an amicus brief in a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s construction of a new White House Ballroom, which is being financed by private donations. The brief explains how this private funding presents risks of corruption or the appearance of corruption and breaks with long-standing constitutional safeguards.
Back to topWhen wealthy special interests can purchase access, influence and favor from public officials, Americans lose trust that the government works for them. President Donald Trump’s planned construction of a massive ballroom at the White House undermines the fundamental trust and expectation that the government works on behalf of the people.
Trump’s...
On October 2025, President Donald Trump ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a massive ballroom. The scope and costs of construction have ballooned over time.
The plaintiff in the case, the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, sued over the ballroom project and is arguing that the ballroom project exceeds the executive’s authority and was not approved by Congress.
This overhaul of a landmark of American democracy is reportedly being funded through private donations, which raises significant legal and ethical issues around corruption and the appearance of corruption. In part to avoid these exact issues, the Constitution assigns Congress the responsibility to make determinations about federal spending. President Trump’s acting without Congress’s approval is another sign of an unrestrained, out-of-control Executive Branch.
Building off Campaign Legal Center’s expertise in government ethics and reform, including our tracker of the Trump administration’s most corrupt transactions, CLC and CREW are getting involved in ongoing litigation over the ballroom construction as an amicus curiae, or friend of the court.
Private funding of the ballroom creates a substantial risk of quid pro quo corruption, as well as the appearance of corruption that can undermine confidence in democratic institutions.
Nonetheless, major donors including Meta, Coinbase, Ripple and Lockheed Martin have donated huge sums toward its construction. These companies and other donors also have significant interests before the federal government and are likely hoping for favorable treatment in return for their contributions.
As CLC and CREW’s brief explains, these donations, combined with the administration’s demonstrated willingness to look favorably on companies and individuals who support President Trump’s interests, creates an unacceptable risk of corruption in government.
Legal and constitutional safeguards exist to prevent corruption and uphold our system of checks and balances. Congressional approval and appropriations are required for this type of project as a function of the separation of powers.
Congress, not the president, is empowered to raise and spend public money. The administration’s reliance on donor funding for the ballroom project violates this core principle.
CLC and CREW’s brief urges the Court to avoid this possibility of a corrupt bargain by affirming the decision to halt its unlawful construction.
