House Republicans divided over ballroom security funding

House Republicans are split over the White House’s proposal to allocate $1 billion in security funding for a new White House ballroom and other Secret Service priorities.

GOP lawmakers are looking to include the money in a second reconciliation package focused on funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol operations.

But some moderates have raised concerns that ballroom security should instead be financed through private donations — as President Trump has vowed the ballroom itself will be — arguing the expenditure would be difficult to justify to voters and could undercut Republicans’ broader economic message at a time when inflation, grocery prices and gas costs are through the roof. 

Adding the ballroom security funding to the package, which Republicans aim to pass using a process that would require only GOP votes, could also complicate and potentially delay its path forward. Trump has said he wants the legislation on his desk by June 1, and the House is scheduled to be out of town the last week of May, leaving Republicans with a little more than a week to finalize and pass the measure.

When asked whether he likes the proposal, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said bluntly, “No, I don’t.”

“It was promised it’d be all donor money,” Bacon said. “Then, the East Wing’s torn down, and they said, ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s all going to be paid for.’ Now, we got a billion-dollar bill, and I just don’t think — I can tell you it’s not playing well on Main Street.”

Bacon said he would be “really reluctant” to support the reconciliation bill if it included the ballroom security funding. 

“I think it’s a bad vote. I don’t think Americans will respond well to........

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