Senate GOP Proposes $1B for Trump’s White House Ballroom Security Upgrades

Senate Republicans have added $1 billion in White House security upgrades to legislation funding immigration enforcement agencies, marking a significant boost for President Donald Trump’s ballroom project. The move follows an alleged assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 25, where Cole Tomas Allen was charged with storming the event at the Washington Hilton with firearms and knives.

The GOP bill, released late Monday, designates the funds for the U.S. Secret Service to support “security adjustments and upgrades” tied to the ballroom project. The legislation specifies that the money must be used for security enhancements, including “above-ground and below-ground security features,” but prohibits its use for non-security elements.

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle praised Republicans for including the funding, calling the project “long overdue.” He stated,

“It would provide the United States Secret Service with the resources they need to fully and completely harden the White House complex, in addition to the many other critical missions for the USSS.”

The $1 billion is part of a broader bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol. Democrats have blocked funds for both agencies since mid-February, but Republicans are advancing the measure using a partisan budget maneuver. While Congress passed bipartisan legislation to fund the rest of the Homeland Security Department on April 30—ending a record-long shutdown—the GOP is pushing ICE and Border Patrol funding separately.

The Senate is expected to begin voting on its version of the legislation next week, though the House has not yet released its bill. The exact allocation of the $1 billion remains unclear, as it far exceeds the proposed $400 million for the ballroom’s construction.

The White House has described the East Wing project as “heavily fortified,” including bomb shelters, military installations, and a medical facility beneath the ballroom. Trump has also called for bulletproof glass and drone-resistant measures. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit to block construction, but a federal appeals court ruled last month that work can proceed in the interim.

While the White House claims private funds will cover construction, public money will be used for security upgrades. Some Republicans argue that public funds should cover the entire project, citing the security breach at the dinner as evidence that the president needs a secure venue for events.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who introduced a bill with Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to fund the ballroom’s construction, stated,

“It would be insane” to hold the dinner at a hotel again.

Democrats have vowed to oppose any efforts to fund the ballroom, with critics calling it a “vanity project.” One lawmaker argued,

“While Americans are struggling to make ends meet as a result of President Trump’s failed policies, Republicans are focused on providing tens of billions of dollars for the President’s vanity ballroom.”