Washington– Republicans in Congress launched a new effort Monday to approve and fund President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom, arguing it would help avoid security breaches such as… A shooting occurred during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday.
A new bill introduced by Republican senators would authorize $400 million — roughly the cost of the project — for building infrastructure and security underneath. Trump has said private money will cover the costs of the hall, but Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the sponsors, said Monday that he believes those private dollars should only pay for “buying China and things like that.”
Graham said at a news conference that some people might think the hall was Trump’s “vanity project,” but he said it was necessary to allow the president to do so. Hold events safely And avoid less safe places like the Washington Hilton Hotel, where Saturday’s event took place. The man, who authorities say tried to storm the diner with guns and knives, had booked a hotel room, according to what authorities said FBI affidavit in the case.
“It would be crazy” to hold the dinner there again, Graham said, adding that he would advise any president against doing so, even as Trump has said he would like to reschedule the dinner.
Cole Thomas Allen He appeared in court on Monday to face federal charges in the attempted assassination of Trump after a confrontation on Saturday in which shots were fired outside the auditorium. The president was evacuated from the stage while thousands of guests dove under tables and ducked for cover.
Other lawmakers said they would push their own measures to approve the ballroom, including Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, and Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Tim Sheehy of Montana.
“It is embarrassing for the most powerful nation on Earth that we cannot host rallies in our nation’s capital, including those attended by our President, without the threat of violence and assassination attempts,” Sheehy wrote on X.
But it is unclear whether these efforts will receive sufficient support. Democrats have opposed construction of the hall since Trump Demolishing part of the White House To make room for this without obtaining permission from Congress, as it happened Face lawsuits. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that the president should focus on ending the war with Iran, health care and other measures to lower the cost of living.
“Those are the things we should really be focusing on,” Jeffries said.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Monday that Trump wants to isolate himself in a “walled palace, literally.”
He said Republicans should instead pass a spending bill that includes money for the U.S. Secret Service, a part of the Department of Homeland Security that has been shuttered for more than two months. The House has not yet taken a decision on the department’s two spending bills approved by the Senate.
“If Republicans really want to improve security, they should join Democrats in funding the Secret Service, not Donald Trump’s fancy ballroom,” Schumer said.
Republicans also seized on the incident to demand funding for the Department of Homeland Security, blaming Democrats who have withheld funds from immigration enforcement agencies since mid-February.
The chaos at the annual dinner came after Trump faced two attempts on his life, and members of Congress from both parties have received an increasing number of death threats in recent years.
Graham said times are unusual.
“I’ve been here for a while, and I’ve never felt the threat that exists today,” he said.
Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, who sponsored the legislation with Graham, said the bill is not just about Trump.
“That will not happen until the end of his term,” she said. “This is about future presidents. This is about having a gathering place in our nation.”
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Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.