Thune Defends Senate Parliamentarian After Trump Seeks Ouster Over $1 Billion Ballroom Ruling
Updated
Updated · KOMO News · May 21
Thune Defends Senate Parliamentarian After Trump Seeks Ouster Over $1 Billion Ballroom Ruling
11 articles · Updated · KOMO News · May 21
John Thune said Elizabeth MacDonough was being unfairly targeted and pledged security for Senate staff after Donald Trump urged Republicans to replace the parliamentarian.
A $1 billion White House ballroom proposal triggered the clash: MacDonough advised that the project could not be included in a Republican immigration enforcement budget bill because it was too expansive.
Trump attacked MacDonough on social media as biased against Republicans, even though the nonpartisan adviser has also blocked Democratic priorities, including a minimum-wage increase in a Biden-era stimulus package.
The dispute underscores Trump's broader push to remove officials and lawmakers who resist him, a strategy some Republicans warn could weaken support for his agenda ahead of the midterm elections.
What institutional risks arise when the Senate's procedural gatekeeper is publicly challenged by the executive branch?