Senate Parliamentarian Rejects Trump Ballroom Funding in GOP Package
The ruling forces Republicans to rewrite the package after lawmakers said $220 million tied to the ballroom exceeded Senate budget limits.
- On Saturday night, the Senate parliamentarian ruled that a $1 billion security provision for President Donald Trump's proposed White House ballroom cannot be included in the GOP immigration enforcement bill, dealing a major procedural blow to the president's priority.
- Republicans sought to include the funds within a roughly $72 billion immigration enforcement package to bypass the Senate's 60-vote threshold, hoping to secure passage via a simple majority vote using complex budget reconciliation rules.
- Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer argued against the plan, with Merkley stating Americans shouldn't spend "a single dime" on the "Louis XIV-style ballroom" while ignoring broader economic needs.
- Party leaders are now revising the legislation to address the ruling, though Democrats warn they are prepared to stop any modified version of the spending package before next week's vote.
- The ruling complicates the project's future, as some Republicans worry about political optics of the expenditure in an election year, despite the White House insisting the funds are strictly for security enhancements.
250 Articles
250 Articles
Trump's push for $1 billion in ballroom and security funds is facing GOP opposition
A proposal to fund $1 billion in security additions for the White House campus and the presidents new ballroom is facing growing opposition from Republicans ahead of an expected vote this week, even as President Donald Trump and the U.S. Secret Service push for the money.Republicans are revising the proposal after the Senate parliamentarian said Saturday that it did not meet the requirements to be included in legislation to fund immigration enfo…
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The Daily SignalSenate Tussles Over Ballroom Security Funding
By George Caldwell, The Daily Signal | May 18, 2026 A Senate referee struck funding for security at the White House’s East Wing from a Republican budget bill on Saturday, in what Democrats are celebrating as a blow to President Donald Trump’s ballroom ambitions. Republicans, however, argue that the security funding is unrelated to the White House ballroom and will soon be restored. Republicans are attempting to pass a budget reconciliation bill …
NEW: John Thune Under Fire For Public Break With Trump: 'Not A Big Fan'
Senate Majority Leader John Thune is facing blowback after publicly distancing himself from the Trump administration’s new $1.7 billion compensation fund for people the administration says were “unfairly” investigated by past governments. Thune told reporters he was “not a big fan” of the fund and said he did not see “a purpose” for it, making him the most prominent Republican so far to question the initiative. Democrats, meanwhile, have ripped …
California mosque shooting leaves 5 dead. And, judge dismisses Trump's IRS lawsuit
San Diego authorities are investigating a deadly shooting at a mosque as a hate crime. And, Trump dropped his lawsuit against the IRS, paving the way for an "anti-weaponization fund."
Senate Republican threatens to derail ICE, Border Patrol package over Trump's billion-dollar request – Democratic Accent
An internal dispute could derail Republicans’ goal of funding immigration operations for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s presidency. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told his colleagues that he would not support the GOP’s $72 billion reconciliation package if it included $1 billion in funding for Trump’s ballroom. His defection, along with a handful of other Republicans critical of the funding, could sink the bill. SENATE REPUBLICANS BALK …
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