Republican Senate weighs $1bn security, Trump fund
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- Sen. John Kennedy said the bill was “back to square one” without the $1 billion security money because “the votes are not there.”
- Sen. Thom Tillis called adding the security package a “bad idea” and doubted it had enough backing to pass, even if reduced.
- Sen. John Thune noted “ongoing vote issues” and “ongoing parliamentarian issues” as Republicans try to gauge support for the $1 billion security request and the settlement fund.
- The “anti‑weaponization” fund, part of a $1.776 billion settlement of Trump’s IRS lawsuit, is being targeted by Democrats with amendments that could block it or bar payments to Jan. 6 participants.
- Sen. John Thune said he is “not a big fan” of the settlement and that any language restricting it is still a “work in progress.”
- Donald Trump urged Republicans to fire Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough and reiterated his calls for the SAVE Act and ending the filibuster.
- U.S. Secret Service requested about $220 million for ballroom security improvements, with the remainder earmarked for a new visitor screening center and training.
Why it matters: If Republicans drop the $1 billion security allocation, taxpayers avoid a costly ballroom upgrade while Trump’s settlement fund faces tighter limits, curbing payouts to his allies; Democrats gain leverage to shape the fund, and the White House’s security upgrades stall significantly.
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