Senate Republicans are reportedly considering removing millions of dollars in Secret Service funding for President Donald J Trump's planned White House ballroom from an impending reconciliation bill, according to Senator John Kennedy (R-Louisiana). The move comes as the Senate GOP conference faces a June 1 deadline to pass the budget bill, which also includes over $70 billion for immigration enforcement.
Senator Kennedy told reporters that his "understanding is that the security money has come out," adding, "And my understanding is it’s because the votes are not there." Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) acknowledged "issues related to the East Wing Modernization Project," describing the situation as "still very fluid" with "unanswered questions."
The funding complication follows President Trump's call for Senator Thune to fire Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough. MacDonough, a nonpartisan official, recently removed the ballroom security funding from the legislative package, citing that it did not impact the federal budget and required a different inclusion method.
However, several Republican senators have defended MacDonough. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she would not support firing the parliamentarian, praising her "excellent" work. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) noted MacDonough's previous rulings against the Biden administration, while Senator Kennedy said, "This one is not the parliamentarian’s fault."
The internal party friction extends beyond the ballroom funding. Senator Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) warned that President Trump's criticisms of fellow Republicans, such as Senator Bill Cassidy and Senator John Cornyn, could lead to "fewer political calculations going into people’s decision-making process." This growing dissent could pose challenges for Trump's legislative agenda, particularly with the upcoming Memorial Day recess and critical midterm elections approaching.