Maggie Hassan

For all the latest developments in Congress, follow WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller at Today on the Hill.

A Democratic U.S. senator is raising concerns about the reported diversion of hundreds of millions of dollars to President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom and whether it is impacting the Secret Service.

Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has written the director of the Secret Service seeking answers to questions about the redirection of more than $400 million in agency funding.

In her letter sent this week to Secret Service Director Sean Curran, Hassan said “at least $396 billion” Congress approved for the agency appears to have gone to White House projects.

“Importantly, this appropriation specified that the funds ‘may only be used for’ additional agency resources, including personnel, training facilities, programming and technology, as well as bonuses for Secret Service agents,” Hassan said.

The Democratic lawmaker said the Secret Service had previously raised concerns about a lack of resources as it responds to an increase in protective cases, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General reported earlier this year that the agency has been struggling with issues of burnout and attrition.

Hassan also raised concerns that a diversion of money could affect the Secret Service’s ability to investigate financial crimes, including cyberfraud and money laundering, which is part of the agency’s responsibility.

Is the fund diversion “negatively” impacting Secret Service?

Hassan’s letter cites a report by The Washington Post that found $415 million in Secret Service funding has been diverted to White House construction and renovation projects.

Most of that funding was redirected in June, the newspaper reported, after Congress declined to approve $400 million the Trump administration sought for the ballroom and a visitor screening facility.

The president initially said that no taxpayer money would go toward building the ballroom, but financial records and documents indicate federal funds are going toward the project.

Over time, the president has sought to make the case that the ballroom was needed as part of security improvements to the White House.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed skepticism that the ballroom is essential as a national security project.

In her letter, Hassan asks the Secret Service to describe the ways in which the agency had used or had planned to use the $415 million in diverted funding. She also asks how the loss funding affects the Secret Service’s ability to fulfill its protective duties and counter financial crimes, and whether the agency received any advance notice from the Office of Management and Budget prior to the diversion of the funds.

She requests responses to her questions no later than Oct. 15.

White House response

The White House has not answered specific questions from The Washington Post about the funding, but a spokesman has said it is being spent in a manner consistent with the original intent of Congress.

“President Trump continues to implement long-overdue and necessary renovations to beautify the People’s House as we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary of independence,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement to the Post last month.

The president often talks about the ballroom and in recent months has stepped up references to security improvements.

During Thursday night’s state dinner at the White House with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the president invited guests to take a look at the progress of the ballroom construction.

“It’s one year away from completion, the new ballroom that you’ve heard about,” he said. “And you will see something that you will really love.”

The president said if it had been completed for the Chinese leader’s visit, there would have been more than 1,000 invited guests.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.