Schumer Attacks $1 Billion Salle De Bal Funding Plan
Chuck Schumer denounced a Republican plan on Monday to use $1 billion in public funds for security infrastructure tied to Donald Trump’s salle de bal. In a letter to other senators, the Democratic leader said Republicans were offering Trump public money for a project he had said would rely on private donations.
Trump’s White House wing demolition
Trump had bulldozed an entire White House wing in October to build the ballroom, which was described as able to host up to 1,000 people for receptions and dinners honoring foreign dignitaries. The dispute now centers on whether a bill mainly focused on immigration and border funding should also carry money for a White House construction project.
Last week, Republicans introduced legislation that would provide more than $60 billion for ICE and CBP funding and include $1 billion for the Secret Service. The $1 billion is intended for security infrastructure related to the ballroom project, not for the immigration and border provisions that dominate the bill.
Schumer’s letter to senators
Schumer wrote, “À une période où les Américains tentent de joindre les deux bouts, les républicains disent “qu’ils mangent de la brioche !” et offrent un milliard de dollars à Trump pour une salle de bal” and added, “Les Américains n’ont pas besoin d’une salle de bal. Ils ont besoin d’être soulagés, ils veulent que leur Congrès et leur président s’occupent de la crise du coût de la vie qui s’abat sur les familles à travers le pays”.
The cost of living is expected to be central to the November midterm campaign, giving Schumer’s attack a broader political edge beyond the ballroom itself. For senators weighing the bill, the immediate issue is whether the package stays focused on ICE, CBP, and Secret Service funding or becomes a vehicle for a separate White House project.
