Donald Trump’s plan for a heavily secured White House ballroom has received a significant blow after a $1 billion funding request was rejected on procedural grounds.
Republicans had attempted to add the money for White House security upgrades — partly connected to Trump’s proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom — into a larger immigration enforcement bill. However, the Senate parliamentarian ruled late Saturday that the funding request was too broad to qualify under the limited Republican budget measure, which can pass with only a simple majority.
The decision handed Democrats an early victory in what is expected to be a tough battle over the bill.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer quickly claimed victory.
“Republicans tried to make taxpayers pay for Trump’s billion-dollar ballroom,” Schumer said Saturday evening.
“Senate Democrats fought back and stopped their first attempt.”
He also warned that Democrats would be ready to block future efforts if Republicans revised the proposal.
Why was Trump’s White House ballroom funding blocked?
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley was also sharply critical, saying Americans should not spend “a single dime” on what he described as Trump’s “Louis XIV-style ballroom.”
Republicans rejected that argument. They insisted the ballroom itself would be funded by private donations and that the federal money was meant only for security improvements. Those upgrades reportedly included a new visitor screening center, additional agent training, and added protection for major White House events.
Ryan Wrasse, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, pushed back on X, writing that “none of this is abnormal” and adding:
“Redraft. Refine. Resubmit.”
The Secret Service had requested the security funding after an incident last month in which a man was charged with attempting to assassinate Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
Trump also cited the shooting when defending the ballroom plan, writing on social media that the incident would not have happened if the “Militarily Top Secret Ballroom” currently being built at the White House had already existed.
“It cannot be built fast enough!” he added.
Will the ballroom still be built?
The ballroom project has already faced legal challenges. A federal judge previously blocked construction, ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority. However, an appeals court later allowed work to continue in April while the case proceeds through the courts.
The larger budget bill remains mostly intact despite the parliamentarian’s decision. It includes about $72 billion to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through September 2029. The legislation follows a 76-day government shutdown earlier this year caused by a dispute over ICE funding.
Republicans said Saturday night that they are revising the bill based on the parliamentarian’s guidance.
For now, it remains uncertain whether any part of the $1 billion White House security proposal can survive in its current form.
