"The guest list included wealthy Trump backers like Blackstone co-founder Stephen A. Schwarzman and oil executive Harold G. Hamm, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed to Axios by a White House official. "We have a lot of legends in the room tonight," Trump told the crowd, "and that's why we're here: To celebrate you, because you gave ... tremendous amounts of money to see a ballroom built for the first time at the White House.""
"Friction point: Three ethics and legal experts told Axios they weren't suggesting any legal line was crossed, but Fox said the ballroom fundraiser violates "behavior and decency," calling the project "a monument to himself." Richard Briffault, a Columbia Law professor, said it also fosters "a favorable atmosphere of gratitude and reciprocity." When "there's personal solicitation and personal response," he added, "that just increases the likelihood that there'll be the give and take.""
A White House East Room dinner brought together representatives from Google, Amazon, Palantir, Lockheed Martin and other companies with lucrative or pending government contracts alongside wealthy Trump backers. The event celebrated fundraising for a 90,000-square-foot, $200 million ballroom at the White House. Critics said the dinner could have a coercive effect on donors and foster a culture of gratitude and reciprocity that may influence presidential decisions. Ethics experts noted no clear legal line was crossed but warned personal solicitation and responses increase the likelihood of quid pro quo dynamics and could erode public trust. The president called attendees "legends" while thanking them for funding the ballroom.
Read at Axios
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