White House discloses secret ballroom funding contract after FOIA court order

The Trump administration discloses the 14-page "Philanthropic Support Agreement" governing White House ballroom financing, after a federal court orders compliance with Public Citizen's FOIA lawsuit. The contract — signed October 8, 2025 — reveals donors may remain anonymous, the White House is explicitly excluded from conflict-of-interest review requirements applied to the Park Service and Interior Department, and the Trust for the National Mall collects a 2.5% fee (dropping to 2% above $200 million) on all funds raised. The White House names roughly three dozen donors — including Amazon, Google, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, and Palantir — but declines to disclose individual donation amounts. With the project now estimated at $400 million, the Trust stands to collect approximately $9 million in fees. Fundraising solicitation had begun September 15, before the contract was even signed.