Trump urges Senate Republicans to fire parliamentarian over ballroom security funding

President Donald Trump wants Senate Republicans to remove the chamber’s parliamentarian after she blocked funding for security at his White House ballroom project.

Trump directed his criticism Wednesday at Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, who decides what provisions can pass through the budget reconciliation process. Republicans are trying to advance a $72 billion immigration enforcement package, but MacDonough removed $1 billion that Trump had sought in part for security upgrades to the ballroom.

“Shockingly, Republicans have kept the very important position of ‘Parliamentarian’ in the hands of a woman, Elizabeth MacDonough, who was appointed, long ago, by Barack Hussein Obama and a vicious Lunatic known as Senator Harry Reid, who ran the Senate for the Dumocrats with an ‘iron fist,’” Trump said on Truth Social.

“Over the years, she has been brutal to Republicans, but not so to the Dumocrats — So why has she not been replaced? There are many fair people who would be qualified for that vital job,” he added.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he is not discussing firing MacDonough. He noted that complaints about the parliamentarian arise whenever reconciliation is used.

“There are always people that are unhappy with some decisions that come down, and it’s kind of the nature of the beast. So, you know, we will work through the process and do our best to get the things that we want, you know, on the floor, later this week,” Thune said.

Republicans are still debating whether to restore the security funding. About $600 million would go to the Secret Service and $220 million would support security for the East Wing Modernization project.

Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said the parliamentarian has also ruled against Democrats in past reconciliation efforts.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., dismissed calls to remove MacDonough. “For what,” he said. “Does she have a DWI or something?”

Republicans have pressed for MacDonough’s removal before. Last year, after she blocked steep Medicaid cuts, some GOP senators called for her replacement. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., cited a 2001 precedent when Majority Leader Trent Lott fired the parliamentarian during reconciliation.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said the real problem is the 60-vote filibuster threshold. Republicans chose reconciliation because they could not secure enough Democratic votes to fund the Department of Homeland Security without major concessions on immigration enforcement.