Overview
- President Trump publicly called for Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough to be removed after she ruled that about $1 billion in ballroom‑related security funding could not pass under budget reconciliation.
- The parliamentarian, who advises senators on rules and enforces the Byrd Rule that bars nonbudgetary items from reconciliation, was appointed to the role in 2012 by then‑Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
- Senate Republican leaders largely rebuffed the demand to fire MacDonough and said they will redraw the language to try to meet Byrd Rule tests and resubmit it for her review.
- Lawmakers and aides reported that the funding was part of a roughly $71.7–$72 billion immigration enforcement reconciliation package and that some security measures have been taken after MacDonough was publicly targeted.
- The dispute highlights a broader choice for Republicans between changing long‑standing Senate procedures or continuing to rely on technical redrafts to pass party‑line measures under tight vote math.