Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen
“The cost of Donald Trump’s garish ballroom that’s replacing the East Wing of the White House keeps increasing, from $200 million to $300 million and now $350 million in a matter of days. That’s because the cost of construction isn’t nearly as important as having an inventory of donations available for corporate America to pony up. These contributions (or if you prefer, bribes) work in two directions: One, they represent cash that companies can give to secure favors from the government. Two, they serve as a disciplining function from Trump: People giving to his ballroom can’t easily speak out against his abuses of power. It’s no real surprise that the formal editorial page of The Washington Post offered a limp defense of the ballroom, when the company founded by the Post’s owner, Jeff Bezos, is one of the donors.” (10/28/25)
https://prospect.org/2025/10/28/heres-what-trumps-ballroom-donors-want/