Senate Republicans removed funding for President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom from a new immigration enforcement bill aimed at the Department of Homeland Security, leaving the “East Wing Modernization Project” and related Secret Service money in legal l
The ballroom plan that President Donald Trump helped launch with the demolition of the White House’s East Wing is headed toward more delay—this time with Capitol Hill dropping it from an immigration enforcement bill.
In a new version of Senate Republicans’ legislation to fund immigration enforcement operations at the Department of Homeland Security. money for the Secret Service and the “East Wing Modernization Project” was omitted. The fate of the gilded dining-hall dream now sits in legal limbo. and the political appetite to restart it in Washington looks thin.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) suggested the ballroom funding likely won’t come back. “It’s not in here,” Thune told HuffPost, referring to the new bill. He added that if lawmakers wanted to pursue something for the space. they would likely do it through the appropriations process. Regular appropriations bills typically require 60 votes to clear the Senate. Republicans control just 53 seats. meaning they would need at least seven Democrats to join—an outcome Thune’s comments make sound improbable.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) framed the removal as a result of pressure from Democrats and public anger. “Thanks to the outrage of the American people and hard-fought challenges by Senate Democrats. Senate Republicans finally gave up on funding Trump’s billionaire ballroom for now. ” Durbin said Wednesday.
The ballroom money had previously been included in an immigration bill moving under a special “budget reconciliation” process that only takes 50 votes. But the Senate parliamentarian said the provision couldn’t remain under those budget rules. Republicans tried to rework the ballroom language last month. then dropped it after abandoning the effort—leaving the move amid a broader furor tied to Trump’s $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”.
Inside the administration, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Tuesday that the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is dead. That announcement appeared to clear political space for Republicans to refocus on the immigration bill. but the ballroom and other disputed elements were not revived. A White House official described the ballroom funding exit as old news and argued Republicans had no choice but to follow the parliamentarian’s decision. after it was reported weeks ago.
“The parliamentarian’s decision was reported weeks ago,” the official said. “This framing is false as it implies that Republicans removed it deliberately rather than under parliamentary pressure.”
Still, the legal fight around the East Wing is not going away. Trump began the ballroom project last year after the surprise wholesale demolition of the entire East Wing of the White House. He did not ask Congress for approval and did not seek input from the commissions set up to preserve historic architecture in the nation’s Capitol. In March, a federal judge ruled that construction cannot continue unless Congress approves it—such as by appropriating funds. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Friday.
From the sidelines, Trump has attacked the judge’s decision. He accused the ruling of endangering security. On Sunday, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “If anything happens, he will be held responsible for the Death and Destruction caused to our Country.”
The sequence is stark: the parliamentarian’s ruling blocked the ballroom language under budget reconciliation. Republicans rebuilt the bill but left the ballroom out of the new version. and the administration now faces a court schedule that keeps the East Wing’s fate tied to whether Congress will approve funding—something Senate Republicans are signaling won’t happen anytime soon.
Senate Republicans immigration bill Department of Homeland Security White House ballroom East Wing Modernization Project Secret Service funding John Thune Dick Durbin Senate parliamentarian budget reconciliation Todd Blanche Truth Social federal judge Anti-Weaponization Fund
So they cut the ballroom money but somehow everything else is still a mess.
This is just politics lol. Like they act shocked that the Secret Service and immigration bill don’t line up. If they wanted it, they’d put it back.
Wait so the Democrats pressured them and it got removed because people were mad? But I thought the parliamentarian was the one who decides stuff. Kinda seems like it’s both. Either way, who even needs a ballroom renovation in the first place.
“Legal limbo” is doing a lot of work here… I’m still confused though. If the immigration bill is at Homeland Security, why is the White House dining hall even connected? Also they said regular appropriations needs 60 votes, but Republicans only have 53 so they need Dems… so basically never gonna happen? Seems like they’ll just sneak it in later another way.