On her broadcast Monday evening, October 27, 2025, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow delivered an unusually pointed critique of her own corporate parent, calling out Comcast by name for its financial contribution to President Donald Trump’s controversial White House ballroom project.
The commentary came during a broader discussion of corporations that have aligned themselves with the Trump administration and the potential reputational costs of such partnerships. Maddow specifically referenced Comcast’s donation to Trump’s $250 million-plus ballroom construction, which involves demolishing the entire East Wing of the White House.
During his second term in office, Trump has carried out sweeping renovations to the White House, featuring a lavish makeover of the Oval Office in gold, replacing the Rose Garden’s lawn with pavement, and launching a full-scale demolition of the East Wing to construct an expansive ballroom.
Maddow told viewers that for every corporation like their parent company, which she described as being their parent “for another hot minute,” that wants to pay for Trump to demolish parts of the White House, those public-facing companies should understand there’s a cost regarding their reputation with the American people. She added that there may be financial consequences when companies act against American values or the public interest to please Trump or profit from what she characterized as his authoritarian approach to democracy.
The host’s reference to Comcast as MSNBC’s parent company “for another hot minute” alludes to the impending corporate split between the network and its longtime parent organization. MSNBC will officially rebrand as MS NOW on November 15, marking the end of its nearly 30-year association with NBC and Comcast.
Comcast reportedly made the contribution while facing attention from the Trump administration over its reported interest in purchasing all or part of Warner Bros. Discovery, which recently announced it was up for sale.
At 52, Maddow—who accepted a $5 million pay cut and whose program shifted to airing once a week—encouraged viewers to keep protesting against the ballroom project.
Her colleagues Lawrence O’Donnell and Stephanie Ruhle have likewise criticized Comcast on-air, following the White House’s release of its donor list for the initiative last week.
In July, Trump revealed that the new ballroom would be financed through private funds, including his own contribution, with an estimated cost of about $200 million. In September, he revised the figure to $250 million and updated it to $300 million in October. He assured the public that the project would leave the original structure untouched and respect the landmark’s historic significance. Yet, images showing extensive demolition of the East Wing have fueled broad doubts about those assurances.
According to Trump, the newly built ballroom will accommodate close to 1,000 guests and boast expansive views of the Washington Monument. Trump has described it as the best ballroom in the nation, noting it will be used for state dinners, formal gatherings, and cultural showcases.
According to the list released by the White House and published by Fortune, 37 donors are covering the costs, among them some of the country’s biggest tech companies, firms with government contracts, and individuals connected to the administration.
Included on the list are Apple, Google, Meta, and Amazon, as well as other donors. Trump’s name is notably not on the list.
