A US Senate official has blocked security funding linked to President Donald Trump’s planned $400 million White House ballroom, creating a major obstacle for Republicans seeking taxpayer support for the project.
The decision was made by Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, who ruled that the proposed funding does not meet Senate rules allowing passage by a simple majority vote, forcing Republicans to seek broader support if they want the measure approved, News.Az reports, citing India Today.
Trump has previously stated that the ballroom itself would be financed through private donations. However, Senate Republicans have attempted to secure $1 billion in taxpayer funding for Secret Service security upgrades connected to the ballroom and additional underground structures planned beneath it.
Democrats have sharply criticised the project, calling it unnecessary and expensive at a time when many Americans are struggling with rising living costs and higher fuel prices. Trump has defended the ballroom project, describing it as “the finest building of its kind anywhere in the world.”
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but MacDonough’s ruling means the funding provision would require 60 votes under Senate procedures. Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley said Democrats are prepared to challenge any revised attempt to include the funding in the legislation.
The ballroom-related funding is part of a wider $72 billion spending package focused mainly on immigration enforcement. Republicans argue that additional security funding is necessary to protect the president and visitors attending major events at the White House.
The ballroom project has also faced legal challenges. Last year, Trump ordered the demolition of the White House East Wing to make space for the new structure, prompting a lawsuit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Although a court temporarily halted construction, a US appeals court later allowed work on the project to continue.
Trump has said the ballroom is expected to be completed by September 2028, near the end of his second presidential term.
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