Trump Faces Rare Setback in U.S. Senate

United States – Thursday, President Trump faced a rare setback in the U.S. Senate as a key budget bill was postponed. The decision was made by members of his own party, who expressed dissatisfaction with several demands put forward by the president.

Senators had originally planned to vote on a budget bill Thursday evening that would provide funding—over $70 billion for three years—for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). After Republican senators voiced opposition to other aspects of the bill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune ultimately decided to delay the vote and recess the Republican senators for more than a week.

The bill also includes an $18 billion compensation fund. The Trump administration introduced this "anti-police" fund on Monday, aimed at "hearing and redressing grievances of individuals wronged by the politicization of the justice system due to political motives." Hundreds of Trump supporters prosecuted for their involvement in the January 6 Capitol attack in 2021 could be affected.

Ballroom

The fund has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called it "pure corruption," while Senator Chris Van Hollen described it as a "secret fund financed by taxpayers' money" that Trump could use "to reward his political allies." These criticisms have even resonated within the Republican Party.

On Wednesday, Senator Bill Cassidy said on X: "People are worried about how to pay their mortgages or rent, buy groceries or gas—not how to raise $18 billion for the president and his allies to spend freely." Enough Republican senators expressed opposition within their party to ultimately block the bill, which has now been indefinitely postponed.

Particularly concerning is another issue causing friction within the majority: a $10 billion appropriation for the Secret Service, tasked with protecting American political figures. This sum was originally intended for security infrastructure related to the White House ballroom project.

Last October, Trump ordered the demolition of an entire wing of the White House to build a banquet hall capable of hosting 1,000 guests for various receptions and dinners honoring foreign dignitaries. At the time, the Republican president assured everyone the project would be funded entirely by private donations.

"Hot Potato"

On Wednesday, Republican Senator John Kennedy told reporters there was "not enough support" within the majority to approve the $10 billion appropriation. With consumer confidence plummeting and only months left until the midterm elections—looking bleak for the right-wing—several Republican lawmakers expressed unease over this extravagant project.

Renowned for her moderate stance, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski announced Tuesday: "This conduct is utterly unacceptable." Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer stated: "Republicans are trying to sneak in $10 billion to fund Trump's dirty ballroom."

Speaking at a press conference in front of the Capitol on Thursday, he added: "But the American people caught them red-handed—and now they're trying to ditch this hot potato."

Before the vote was delayed, Democrats had planned to introduce multiple amendments.

Their goal was to propose popular legislative changes that would allow them to condemn Republicans for rejecting these measures. Chuck Schumer confidently assured: "We will prove that Democrats are working to lower costs on healthcare, energy, groceries, gasoline, and childcare."

Sources: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1865844099527748/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.