There are few things President Donald Trump hates to hear more than “no.” So imagine his outrage when he learned that Senate Republicans’ long-awaited budget bill would no longer include money for his White House ballroom project. The $1 billion in Secret Service funding, including $200 million specifically for the ballroom, had to be removed after a ruling that it failed to comply with Senate rules.
The ruling on the funding didn’t come from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., or any other elected member of Congress. It came from Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian. Trump has demanded that Thune fire MacDonough for standing in his way — but her job isn’t at risk. For the moment, at least, MacDonough may be the most powerful bureaucrat in Washington that Trump can’t touch.
Just because MacDonough ruled out the funding did not mean it was doomed. Thune and other Senate GOP leaders initially said they would work to revamp the language to produce something viable — but it wouldn’t be surprising if they didn’t work too hard given that Trump’s demands put Republicans in a tough spot.
This is a preview of a column by Hayes Brown. Read the full column here. |
