WASHINGTON – Following a meeting with the U.S. Secret Service director, Republican senators expressed a need for greater clarity regarding a proposed $1 billion security enhancement plan for the White House. This plan includes a contentious allocation of $220 million aimed at fortifying a new East Wing ballroom for President Donald Trump.
In a closed-door session, Secret Service Director Sean Callan outlined the proposal, revealing that the $220 million is designated for measures such as bulletproof glass, drone detection technologies, and advanced threat filtration systems. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance national security functions, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.
The urgency of the Secret Service’s request is underscored by a recent incident where a man was charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump during the White House Correspondents Association dinner. The plan also includes $180 million for a new visitors screening facility and $175 million earmarked for training Secret Service agents to tackle modern threat scenarios.
However, GOP senators who attended the luncheon voiced concerns about the lack of detail in the proposal. They are seeking a clearer understanding of the expenditure’s specifics and the necessity of the timing. Notably, President Trump had previously indicated that the ballroom’s construction would be financed by $400 million in private funds, leaving the security costs unaddressed.
Florida Senator Rick Scott, known for his close ties to the president, emphasized the need for more information, drawing parallels to his experience in the corporate world. “If somebody came to me and said they were going to spend a billion dollars on something, I’d get more detail,” he remarked.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, also raised questions, particularly about why these security enhancements were not included in Trump’s earlier budget submissions. She has requested additional data to better understand the plan.
Indiana Sen. Todd Young said he wants to be supportive, but “they need to go back and get us more detail about how exactly they arrived at the figures.”
Secret Service cites ‘evolving threats’ in funding request
Republicans have added the security money to a partisan spending bill that would restore funding for immigration enforcement agencies. The questions from within the party about the White House funding proposal could jeopardize the legislation, which GOP leaders are trying to pass without any Democratic votes.
Beyond the White House improvements, the Secret Service said it is requesting $175 million for “enhancements for protectee security,” $150 million for “evolving threats and technology,” including countering drones and airspace incursions, and $100 million for security at high profile “events of national significance.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats will push the Senate parliamentarian to strike the security money from the bill. They also plan to offer amendments that force Republicans to vote on the funding if it remains in the legislation.
“How many Americans want to see a billion dollars for a ballroom and not for the cost of child care and groceries?” Schumer said Tuesday.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also attended the Senate Republican lunch. Some of his Republican members have also expressed reservations about the $1 billion proposal.
As Democrats and some Republicans push back on the request, Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota suggested the security plan could potentially be pared down, punting some of the request to future annual spending bills.
Still, Rounds said it’s possible Republicans will approve the entire request once they have more details.
“I think as more of the information begins to come out, I think people are going to feel a lot more comfortable with what they are requesting,” Rounds said.
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Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.
