Blumenthal Demands Answers About Donations to Trump's Ballroom, Presses New Architect Leading White House Project for Details
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), today demanded answers from Roblox CEO David Baszucki about his reported contribution to President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom as well as ten other individuals who attended the October 15, 2025 fundraising dinner for the project. As Ranking Member of PSI, Blumenthal has led an inquiry into the use of private donations to fund President Trump’s increasingly expensive ballroom, most recently estimated to cost $400 million, and has repeatedly raised concerns about donors that have deep financial, business, or other personal interests before the Trump Administration.
In a letter sent today to Baszucki, Blumenthal requested additional information from the Roblox CEO about his donation, following a recent meeting during which Baszucki confirmed that he had contributed to President Trump’s ballroom, “I appreciated your candor and transparency at our recent meeting, in acknowledging that you were among the guests in attendance at that dinner and that you made a $5 million contribution to the ballroom project in your personal capacity.”
Blumenthal continued, “As an attendee at the October 15 dinner and donor to the project, you possess critical information about the Administration’s solicitation of donations, its management of this project, why your donation was not publicly disclosed, and what President Trump or his representatives may have agreed to provide in exchange.”
In letters to ten other individuals who attended the October 15 fundraiser, including Frank J. Fertitta II, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Red Rock Resorts, Blumenthal wrote, “A representative of your company was reportedly among the guests in attendance at the October 15 dinner; however, neither you nor your company were on the donor list which the White House released to the public several days later. My office has recently received information that at least one other attendee at the October 15 dinner, who was not listed by the White House as a donor, did in fact contribute to the Ballroom project.”
As part of his inquiry, Blumenthal has also written to the contractor, engineer, and previous architect leading the construction and design of the ballroom. In addition to demanding answers from Roblox and other potential donors today, Blumenthal is seeking information from Shalom Baranes Associates Architects, which has taken on the project following President Trump’s clash with the previous architect. Blumenthal pressed Founding Principal Shalom Baranes in a letter sent today for information on how his company became involved in the project and the terms of his selection to participate. The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to Baranes can be found here.
The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to Roblox CEO David Baszucki is available here. A compilation of letters sent today to individuals who attended the October 15 fundraiser can be found here.
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