Ballroom security money nixed by Senate parliamentarian

Source: Politico

Ballroom security money nixed by Senate parliamentarian

Republicans proposed sending $1 billion to the Secret Service, with some to be used on the controversial White House project.


Artist renderings of the new White House East Wing and Ballroom are photographed Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick) | AP

By Jordain Carney
05/16/2026 09:52 PM EDT
Updated: 05/16/2026 10:20 PM EDT

President Donald Trump’s hopes of using public funding to secure his proposed White House ballroom are under threat after a Senate official said Saturday a $1 billion Secret Service line item could not be included in a GOP immigration enforcement bill as drafted.

Elizabeth MacDonough, the chamber’s parliamentarian, ruled that the language aimed at enhancing Secret Service security measures would need to be reworked if Republicans want to pass the larger bill along party lines as planned, according to a statement from Budget Committee Democrats.

MacDonough, the Democrats said, struck the entire Secret Service provision because it included funding that fell outside of the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee, which included the language in their portion of the immigration enforcement bill. The administration estimated that approximately $220 million of the $1 billion would go toward the White House construction project.

“While we expect Republicans to change this bill to appease Trump, Democrats are prepared to challenge any change to this bill,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the top Budget Committee Democrat, said in a statement Saturday.

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Jennifer Scholtes contributed to this report.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/16/ballroom-funding-senate-parliamentarian-00924612

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Reposted by Chris Geidner
https://bsky.app/profile/chrisgeidner.bsky.social

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Jen Bendery
‪@jbendery.bsky.social‬

There it is. The Senate parliamentarian rules the $1 billion for Trump's ballroom in the GOP's budget reconciliation bill violates the rules + is subject to 60 votes vs 51.

Via budget committee Dems:


10:17 PM · May 16, 2026
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There it is. The Senate parliamentarian rules the billion for Trump's ballroom in the GOP's budget reconciliation bill violates the rules + is subject to 60 votes vs 51.

Via budget committee Dems:

— Jen Bendery (@jbendery.bsky.social) 2026-05-17T02:17:07.182Z