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Senate Republican leaders are expected to abandon a controversial proposal to provide $1 billion in security funding tied to President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom after facing mounting resistance from members of their own party over the cost, timing and lack of detail surrounding the request.
The funding proposal had been tied to a broader roughly $70 billion Republican-backed package aimed at restoring funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol. GOP leaders hoped to pass the legislation this week before lawmakers depart for the Memorial Day recess.
But several Republican senators raised concerns about including the White House security and ballroom-related funding in the immigration bill, threatening the measure’s prospects in the narrowly divided Senate.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged Wednesday that Republicans were still dealing with “ongoing vote issues” as leadership worked to secure enough support for the legislation.
Sen. John Kennedy said the proposal would effectively return “to square one” without the security provision because Republican support for the broader package remained uncertain.
Meanwhile, Sen. Thom Tillis criticized the effort to tie the ballroom funding to the immigration bill, calling it “a bad idea.”
“I don’t think there’s enough support for it,” Tillis said, even if the price tag were reduced.
Republicans Question White House Request
The Secret Service request included approximately $220 million for security improvements associated with Trump’s proposed White House ballroom project. The remaining funds would have gone toward a new visitor screening center, training facilities and other security upgrades.
Several Republican senators emerged from a briefing with Secret Service officials last week saying they still lacked sufficient details about how the taxpayer money would be spent.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, who recently lost his Republican primary after Trump endorsed a rival candidate, openly questioned the optics of the proposal.
“People can’t afford groceries and gasoline and healthcare, and we’re going to do a billion dollars for a ballroom?” Cassidy said.
The proposal also ran into procedural trouble after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that portions of the funding package violated Senate budget reconciliation rules, meaning parts of the proposal would likely require 60 votes to advance rather than a simple majority.
Trump’s Settlement Fund Adds New Tensions
At the same time, Senate Republicans are grappling with growing unease over the Trump administration’s newly announced $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” settlement fund intended to compensate people who claim they were unfairly targeted by the federal government under the Biden administration.
The settlement fund stems from an agreement resolving Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over leaked tax records. Democrats have sharply criticized the arrangement, calling it an unprecedented political slush fund that could benefit Trump allies, including some individuals connected to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Senate Democrats are preparing amendments that could either block the fund entirely or prohibit payments to individuals convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers during the Capitol riot.
Some Republicans have also privately expressed reservations about the settlement, prompting GOP leaders to discuss adding guardrails limiting who could receive compensation.
Thune said Wednesday that any potential restrictions remain “a work in progress.”
Tensions Rise Between Trump and Senate Republicans
The disputes have exposed growing friction between Trump and Senate Republicans at a critical moment for the party’s legislative agenda.
Trump intensified the pressure Wednesday by attacking the Senate parliamentarian on social media and renewing calls for Republicans to abolish the Senate filibuster and pass stricter election legislation, including the SAVE Act.
“Republicans need to get smart and tough,” Trump wrote, warning senators they could otherwise “be looking for a job much sooner than you thought possible.”
Still, Senate Republicans have largely resisted Trump’s repeated demands to eliminate the filibuster, which requires 60 votes for most legislation to advance.
Adding to tensions was Trump’s recent endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in next week’s Republican primary runoff — a move that reportedly angered several GOP senators who view Cornyn as more electable in the general election.
“There’s always a consequence with taking on United States senators,” Thune said Wednesday.
Immigration Funding Still Expected to Advance
Despite the internal disputes, Republicans are still expected to move forward with the immigration enforcement portion of the package, which would provide funding for ICE and Border Patrol operations through the remainder of Trump’s presidency.
Democrats have blocked similar funding proposals for months over objections to the administration’s immigration crackdown. Republicans are now attempting to use the reconciliation process — which bypasses the Senate filibuster — to approve the funding with only Republican votes.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday the House would pass the Senate package “whatever form it takes.”
