Democrats Wield Trump’s Ballroom Against GOP

By continuing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. I’m Jonathan Tamari, senior Washington reporter for Bloomberg Government, and each weekday I’ll be coming to you with inside-the-room reporting and insights that reveal what’s really happening in Washington—and how it impacts you. Email me with feedback and comments here. If this newsletter was forwarded to you sign up here. Today: Ballroom politics, the little things that make data centers go, and understanding the new House landscape. Right now, Republicans in Congress want to talk about lower taxes on tips and overtime, and other parts of their signature “Big, Beautiful Bill.” But what they are talking about, less than six months until the elections, is $1 billion to aid President Donald Trump’s ballroom project. With gas prices riding high, Democrats point to the energy going into a ballroom as proof that Trump is focused on vanity projects (as they put it), not everyday people’s struggles. Now Republicans in Congress are getting dragged in. The bucket of funding tucked into a bigger spending bill could soon force GOP lawmakers to take a vote on the ballroom money — and Democrats can’t wait. “These ballroom Republicans have a constituency of one: Donald Trump’s ego,” the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, said on the Senate floor Monday. It’s an accusation you can expect to hear in key Senate and House races, especially with 56% of Americans opposed to the project compared to 28% in support, according to a Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll late last month. On policy, the ballroom is hardly the most important thing happening in Washington. Republicans say the $1 billion is earmarked for security upgrades, not the ballroom itself, and is part of a $72 billion GOP-only bill focused primarily on funding ICE and Border Patrol. The $400 million construction of the actual ballroom is, according to Trump, being funded with private donations. But the strongest political attacks are often ones that are simple, memorable, and hit at an existing weakness. Here, the ad writes itself: a grand ballroom, that few Americans asked for or will ever step inside of, split-screened against high gas and grocery prices. The contrast is a reminder of how Trump’s personal projects can at times outweigh his party’s political needs, and, right now at least, the mood of the country. (Trump this morning defended his push for another renovation, the repair and repainting of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, after The New York Times reported that it jumped in cost.) Many Republicans have stood behind the ballroom security funds, noting the three attempts on Trump’s life. “It’s part of what it costs to protect the president of the United States in a very dangerous time and a dangerous world,” said John Thune, the Senate’s top Republican. But some Republicans may need convincing, and are asking for details as they consider the political optics. The head of the Secret Service, Sean Curran, is scheduled to join the Senate GOP lunch today to answer questions, along with Speaker Johnson. Curran has called the $1 billion “critical” to the Secret Service’s protection of Trump. It’s also possible the ballroom money will run afoul of Senate procedures, which would prevent a vote and likely have some Republicans breathing a sigh of relief. Clearly sensing unease about costs, the president on Monday floated the idea of suspending the federal gas tax and appeared poised to sign an order aimed at lowering beef prices, though that latter plan has been delayed. We’ll see whether Trump delivers the tax cut. But you can bet he won’t let up on the ballroom. That’s the disconnect Republicans have to live with. Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains at a standstill and oil prices were rising after Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was on “life support.” Kevin Warsh is on track for Senate confirmation Tuesday to join the Fed’s board, with a separate vote to name him chairman expected later this week. He cleared an initial Senate hurdle in a 49-44 vote Monday. Suspending the gas tax would cost the federal government billions of dollars a month, and it’s unclear how much of the savings would reach consumers, analysts say. The energy crunch from the Iran war is putting new attention on a bipartisan push to extract energy by tapping into heat under the earth’s surface. It’s one of the few renewable energy sources the Trump administration supports. Boeing is aiming to land a major deal with China for its 737 Max jets this week, hoping to help turn around from recent crises. Its CEO will join Trump for his summit in Beijing. Hantavirus cases are being handled wildly differently from country to country, illustrating uncertainty over how readily this strain spreads. Health officials stress that the risk to the broader public is low. Democrats remain the favorites to win a House majority in November, even after losing the national redistricting battle, Greg Giroux writes. Young voters, Hispanics voters, and Black voters are turning away from Trump after helping put him over the top in 2024, Wes Kosova writes. Changes to SNAP benefits and other issues are threatening to drag down the annual farm bill negotiations, Rachel Umansky-Castro writes. Trump will have his annual check up May 26. The president turns 80 in June. Democrats and ethics watchdogs are raising alarms about a reality TV road trip led by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, citing the show’s sponsors. Take a look inside the tiny components that make AI data centers run, and the companies that are thriving by producing them. A House vote this week on expanding sales of E15, an ethanol-based fuel, is the culmination of years of wrangling between Midwestern corn growers and some oil refiners, Bloomberg Government analyst Aaron Gregg writes. The House returns, joining the Senate The consumer price index for April will be released Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Dan Caine testify in the House and Senate FBI Director Kash Patel and the heads of the DEA, ATF and US Marshals Service testify in Senate Trump leaves later today to travel to China Nebraska, West Virginia hold primaries Like Washington Edition? Check out these newsletters: Explore all newsletters at Bloomberg.com.