Senate Republicans Question Secret Service Request for $1 Billion

Secret Service Director Sean Curran held a closed-door lunch and briefing with Senate Republicans on or before January 6, 2026, to defend a $1 billion funding request that forms part of both the Senate immigration operations funding package and a broader $72 billion reconciliation package.

Curran provided a high-level breakdown of the request in a one-pager obtained by Fox News Digital. The funding package is intended to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol for the next three and a half years.

The $1 billion request includes $220 million for White House complex hardening designated for above and below ground security enhancements for the White House ballroom. Those enhancements would include bulletproof glass, drone detection technology, chemical filtration and detection systems and other national security functions.

An additional $180 million would go toward a White House screening center for visitors.

The remaining $600 million would go toward Secret Service training, enhancing protection for Trump and other officials, and other security measures including countering drones and other aerial incursions. The funding would afford needed protection for the president, his family, and visitors, along with below-ground highest-level security functions.

President Donald Trump faced a third assassination attempt last month.

President Donald Trump holds a rendering of the planned White House Ballroom extension during a meeting in the Oval Office with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Oct. C. The legislation released by the Senate Judiciary Committee last week dictated that the funding would fund above and below ground security enhancements for Trump’s ballroom.

Ballroom security can't be privately funded, according to Mullin. Sen. , backs a bill to ensure a privately funded, secure White House ballroom following a recent shooting incident. Republicans expressed skepticism after the briefing.

Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, said: "It was one thing when private dollars were building it. If you're asking me for a billion dollars, I have some really hard questions. If I were a businessman and an employee came and said, ‘I have a project, and it's a billion dollars,’ I'd say, ‘You made that number up,’ right?

“They need to go back and get us more details about exactly how they arrived at the figure.”

“— Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said: "What was clear today is this whole statement, ‘It's a billion dollars for a ballroom.’ Anyone who prints that is printing something they know is a lie. That's not true. It's not a billion dollars for the ballroom." Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said: "The way I look at it, I look at it like a business guy. So it's an investment, and it's gonna, you know, you have to explain to the American public, if you're gonna spend their money, how do you get a return?" Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., said: "We want to make sure we're being responsible with taxpayer dollars and see what is the best vehicle for that, and then making sure that we're judicious with that money." The DHS secretary made a new pitch for the $1 billion Secret Service funding request to centrist Republicans. Republicans were skeptical on funding security for the ballroom while the White House amps up pressure. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said: "The bottom line is, this ballroom is a disgrace. The Republicans know it. Let's see if they have the guts to do what they know is right, both substantively and politically, and tell Trump we don't need a God — we don't need a damn ballroom." Democrats are planning to push hard against the security funding, arguing that the money would be better spent elsewhere on affordability issues. The entire package will be reviewed under the Senate’s strict Byrd Rule guidelines that dictate what can and can’t make it into the reconciliation process. Republicans struggle with the $1 billion White House ballroom request tucked into the Senate immigration package.”