Trump's casino known: tech giants and the US

Money Trumps ballroom known: tech giants and US ambassador in the Netherlands The American ambassador to the Netherlands, Joe Popolo, is contributing to the construction of the ballroom at the White House. Tech companies like Nvidia and Apple have also put their money in, writes the newspaper The Washington Post, which has an overview of the main money-makers of the project. According to the newspaper, the donor list raises questions about conflicts of interest: half of all donations come from companies or prominent figures who have interests in the national government. Transparency about this is lacking. According to the newspaper, Ambassador Popolo and his wife raised one million dollars at the end of last year. The donation came two months after the businessman was appointed as ambassador to the Netherlands, at the end of October. Nvidia, Apple, and Lockheed Martin The list, with the status as of the end of September, mentions 67 contributions of $10,000 (8900 euros) or more. For chip manufacturer Nvidia and Apple, it is $25 million, Google has promised $22 million, and Microsoft and weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin have pledged $10 million. Amazon, like The Washington Post owned by Jeff Bezos, has $5 million for the project. Furthermore, $25 million came from a fund of the deceased business magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife, which is committed to Israel and the Jewish people. He donates more generously to Republicans. Trump announced last year that he would also contribute to the prestigious project. "It will be paid for by me and a few of my friends," the president said, but according to the newspaper, nothing is found for his contribution in the list. Anonymity A total of $333 million has been pledged for the ballroom, of which $77 million comes from donors who have indicated they want to remain anonymous. Democratic politicians had previously asked in vain for a list of money-makers and the circumstances of the donations. The money is managed by a fund, which has made agreements with the national government to keep the funders secret. Political donations are regulated in the US, but non-profit organizations are generally not required to disclose their donors. It was already known that a donation was made from Nvidia, but the company did not want to make public the amount of the donation. Now the chipmaker is proud of the donation. "As an American company, our support for the United States is at the forefront, apart from business interests," said a spokesperson. Critics say that the way in which funds are raised raises questions about the transparency of the donations and the influence of the money-makers. The White House meets this criticism. "The same critics who believe there is a conflict of interest would also complain if the taxpayer had to bear the cost of the much-needed renovations," said a spokesperson. For several donors, there were major interests at stake in the relationship with Trump. For example, an investigation against the company of telecom director Charles Ergen ($25 million) was shelved, and the Trump administration had to decide whether Nvidia could export to China. The father of Venezuelan-Italian Isabela Herrera ($2.5 million) received Trump's clemency in a bribery scandal. In addition, The Washington Post reported earlier this year that half of the construction costs are paid with tax money. The total costs have risen to $600 million, whereas previously $400 million was estimated. Bunkers Trump ordered the demolition of the east wing of the White House last year. This included the residence's cinema and the First Lady's offices. Instead, a ballroom should be built that, according to the president, will accommodate almost a thousand guests. He pointed out that the existing reception areas are not sufficient. A military bunker should be built under the event location, with shelters and facilities to withstand drone and missile attacks. Trump tried to illegally obtain a billion dollars for this part of the plan in Congress this year. According to the president, the bunker is important for national security. Besides a new ballroom at the White House, Trump has more construction plans in Washington. See more about it in this video: