White House Ballroom Folly: A Symptom of Deeper Issues in US Politics The Senate parliamentarian's decision to remove security funding for Donald Trump's planned $400m White House ballroom from a massive spending package has sparked controversy in Washington.
At first glance, this appears to be a partisan spat between Republicans and Democrats over budget rules and immigration enforcement.
However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that there are more complex forces at play. Pork barrel politics is not new to the US government.