Trump's White House ballroom project loses $1 billion funding bid as Senate Republicans revolt

US Senate Republicans have removed a contentious $1 billion Secret Service funding provision from an immigration enforcement bill after a parliamentary ruling and mounting internal dissent put the measure in jeopardy, dealing a significant setback to the White House's ambitions for its East Wing renovation project, Politico reported. Senate Votes to Strip Ballroom Security Funding From Immigration Bill Republican senators confirmed Wednesday that the billion-dollar Secret Service allocation, which had been explicitly linked in draft legislation to the so-called East Wing Modernisation Project, would not survive the final cut of the party's filibuster-proof immigration enforcement package. "We were told that the ballroom money is out," Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana told reporters following a closed-door Republican lunch, though he added he would "like to read the text" before drawing final conclusions. Parliamentary Ruling Triggers Senate Republican Revolt Over Trump Ballroom Project The provision unravelled after a sequence of compounding setbacks. Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled over the weekend that the funding allocation fell outside the boundaries of what could legitimately be included under reconciliation rules, on the grounds that it funded activities beyond the Judiciary Committee's jurisdiction. That parliamentary blow was accompanied by growing unease within the Republican caucus itself. Several senators publicly questioned the wisdom of embedding White House renovation funding inside a bill conceived as an immigration crackdown. A broader swathe of colleagues harboured private reservations, and the political temperature inside the conference cooled further on Tuesday when President Donald Trump endorsed Ken Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the upcoming Texas GOP primary runoff, angering many in the Senate ranks. Senate Majority Leader John Thune conveyed to colleagues during Wednesday's lunch meeting that both obstacles remained firmly in place. According to two people granted anonymity to describe the private gathering, Thune made clear that the parliamentary complications and an insufficient vote count together made inclusion of the security provision untenable. What the Draft Legislation Said About the White House East Wing Project The draft bill had included explicit language designating that a portion of the $1 billion in Secret Service funding could be applied to "above-ground and below-ground security features" associated with the East Wing Modernisation Project. That phrasing was not incidental. The White House had indicated earlier this month that congressional passage of the bill with that language intact would function as legislative authorisation for the broader renovation scheme. The administration is currently engaged in legal proceedings after a federal judge ruled earlier this year that the project had not been properly authorised by lawmakers. Also Read | Trump reveals US military building large complex under White House ballroom Also Read | Trump defends White House ballroom project, slams lawsuit Thune confirmed in a late last week interview that the White House had furnished Senate offices with proposed legislative text pertaining to the project. The administration subsequently attempted to assuage senators' concerns by clarifying that only $220 million of the $1 billion allocation would potentially be directed towards the ballroom project and related security hardening of the White House complex. The reassurance did not succeed in quieting objections. Republicans Brace for Trump's Anger as Ballroom Provision Is Axed Republican senators are privately bracing for a sharp reaction from the president following the decision, according to two people granted anonymity to describe those internal discussions. Even before Senate leaders formally moved to drop the provision, Trump had called for the parliamentarian's dismissal in a post on Truth Social. Thune, speaking to reporters after Wednesday's lunch, struck a carefully measured tone. "Conversations are ongoing and the bill text isn't yet finalised," he said, stopping short of declaring the provision dead by name. Anti-Weaponisation Fund Could Be Next Political Flashpoint in Senate The removal of the Secret Service funding will not put an end to the political difficulties surrounding the immigration bill. Senate Democrats are preparing to bring forward an amendment targeting a new Justice Department "anti-weaponisation" fund established through a settlement with Trump, which critics argue could be deployed to benefit the president's political allies.