Trump Demands Parliamentarian Ouster After $1 Billion Ballroom Funding Dropped
Trump called for firing Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough after she blocked $1 billion in ballroom security funding, and Republicans moved to remove the funding from a reconciliation immigration package.
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Overview
President Donald Trump publicly demanded Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough be fired after she ruled that $1 billion for White House ballroom security could not be included, and a Senate Republican said the funding was removed.
MacDonough ruled the Secret Service provision violated Byrd Rule and reconciliation restrictions, blocking inclusion in a filibuster‑proof immigration enforcement package.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the targeting "concerning," and Sen. John Kennedy said after a GOP lunch that "the ballroom money is out."
The disputed provision totaled about $1 billion, with roughly $600 million for the Secret Service and $220 million for East Wing security, inside a roughly $71.7 billion to $72 billion package.
Republicans said they would try to redraft the funding to meet reconciliation rules, but any revision would need MacDonough's approval or a Senate vote to overrule her, which leaders warned could create vote problems.
Analysis
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