Main Line Billionaire Reportedly Gives at Least $2.5 Million to Trump Ballroom Project
Plus, why the NBA just dinged Embiid for $50,000.
Left: Jeff Yass, a major stakeholder in TikTok’s parent company and a donor to the Donald Trump ballroom project (photo via Flickr/Creative Commons) | Right: Donald Trump giving a thumbs-up. (Getty Images)
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Main Line Billionaire Jeff Yass Reportedly Gives at Least $2.5 Million to Trump Ballroom Project
A lot of people have some pretty strong feelings about Donald Trump’s efforts to build a luxurious ballroom at the White House, especially with so many worried about where their next meal is coming from. Though from where I sit, Trump wanting to spend a ridiculous amount of money glitzing things up is the least surprising thing I’ve heard thus far about his presidency.
In any event, we recently learned that Philadelphia corporate giant Comcast is one of the major donors behind the Trump ballroom, and now the New York Times is reporting that Main Line billionaire Jeff Yass, the GOP mega-donor and poker whiz behind Bala Cynwyd’s Susquehanna International Group, has also donated at least $2.5 million to the Trump ballroom. On one hand, Yass is welcome to fund whatever ballroom he wants. On the other hand, this might raise some eyebrows since Susquehanna owns a nice big chunk of TikTok’s parent company and stands to get even richer if Trump forces that company to cede control of the app to the United States.
I don’t know. $2.5 million might sound like a lot of money. But when this gold toilet is going for $10 million …
It’s Election Day!
All eyes are on our neighbors over the bridge and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court votes, the latter being the cause of the litany of “VOTE NO!” and “VOTE YES!” ads you’ve been subjected to. If you have no clue who and what are on the ballot, might I suggest you consult our Ultimate Guide to the 2025 General Election.
Media Matters
In case you missed the big news, Philly Mag now has new owners!
Good Question
From the Inquirer: “Why is there suddenly a giant green lion outside the Barnes?”
For Those About to Rock…
AC/DC just announced that they will play their first Philly show in a decade, closing out their new tour here next year. But can the Aussie rockers come anywhere close to selling out the Linc? Hard to imagine.
By the Numbers
$50,000: Fine assessed against Sixers star Joel Embiid for what the NBA determined was a lewd gesture. Apparently these people have a low bar on lewd.
700,000: Number of people who received that fraudulent email that appeared to come from the University of Pennsylvania last week, according to an anonymous individual who claims to be behind the cyberattack. The same person claims to have illegally downloaded information about 1.2 million alumni, students, and donors. No word on whether they managed to solve all the mysteries surrounding Donald Trump’s time at Penn.
12/30: Approximate date when the Chick-fil-A between terminals B and C is expected to close now that their lease is up. (Personally, I’m still mad at Chick-fil-A. Not just because of this, but because they got rid of coleslaw in 2016.) As for a replacement for Chick-fil-A, you might expect a Philly brand in its place, since the airport has been pushing to bring more of Philadelphia into the airport that bears its name.
Local Talent
Philly sportswriter, broadcaster and playwright Ray Didinger has a new book out: The Eagles Encyclopedia: Champions II is largely about the team’s most recent Super Bowl win. The promo promises “a must-have for any E-A-G-L-E-S fan who wants to relive the Big Game and all the drama that led up to it.” On Tuesday night, Didinger is in conversation at the Central Library with none other than this true Philadelphia treasure. It’s only $5 to get in, and you can register here.
