Attorney General William Barr last month booked a 200-person private holiday party at President Donald Trump's hotel in Washington at an estimated cost of $30,000, according to news reports Tuesday.
The Washington Post obtained a copy of a contract signed by Barr for a "Family Holiday Party" at the Presidential Ballroom of the Trump International Hotel Washington on Dec. 8.
Barr is paying for the venue himself, as it is not a Justice Department event, an agency official said.
Trump's hotel was booked after several hotels, including the Willard and the Mayflower, were unavailable, according to the official.
Barr holds the party annually, the Post reported, but this is the first time it will be at a Trump hotel.
"Career ethics officials were consulted, and they determined that ethics rules did not prohibit him from hosting his annual party at the Trump hotel," the Justice Department official said.
The Trump Organization, which owns the hotel, declined to comment to the Post.
President Trump placed the organization into a trust that is controlled by his adult sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, when his White House term began in 2017. He does not directly run the Trump Organization.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.