Contract reveals fundraising deal for financing Trump's East Wing overhaul [View all]

Source: CBS News

April 21, 2026 / 6:24 PM EDT


Washington — A newly revealed agreement between the White House, the National Park Service and the nonprofit Trust for the National Mall shows the inner workings of how President Trump and his allies are financing a $400 million overhaul of the White House East Wing.

The 14-page document, which was obtained by the left-leaning advocacy group Public Citizen and shared with CBS News, empowers the Trust to "accept donations in an amount sufficient to cover all costs" of the project, as determined by the White House. The agreement was signed by the parties in October 2025. The agreement says that the Trust stands to receive a 2.5% fee on funds collected for the project, which CBS News reported soon after it was signed. That fee dips to 2% for any money raised in excess of $200 million.

President Trump has said the $400 million renovation is fully financed, meaning the Trust stands to yield around $9 million. Public Citizen sued to obtain the document under the Freedom of Information Act. "This is the first time we don't have to take the word of the White House — we can see details of this scheme in black and white," said Jon Golinger, a democracy advocate for the group.

The agreement ensures that all parties involved will "preserve the anonymity and privacy of any donor who wishes to remain anonymous." So far, the White House has provided the names of about three dozen individual and corporate donors, but declined to say how much each has given.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-east-wing-ballroom-contract-fundraising/