WASHINGTON—Speaker Mike Johnson shut down the House of Representatives on Monday afternoon. The move followed a Senate parliamentarian ruling. The ruling struck down a $1 billion allocation for the golden ballroom of Little Diaper Donnie.
Johnson called the adjournment a routine scheduling pause. But aides said the real goal was to regroup and find another way to fund the project.
The provision was tucked inside the American Prosperity Reconciliation Act. The massive spending bill used a fast-track process that bypasses a Senate filibuster. But the parliamentarian, a nonpartisan rules referee, ruled on Sunday that the ballroom funding did not meet the strict budget requirements.
Without the ruling, Republicans would need 60 votes. They currently fall well short of that threshold.
The ballroom, which the former president has described as a tribute to American greatness, would feature a retractable dance floor and gold-plated molding. The design has been praised by several club members at Mar-a-Lago. A scale model of the chandelier was displayed in the Capitol Rotunda last month during a press conference.
A spokesman for Johnson released a statement. “The Speaker believes a short recess allows members to consult with their districts and explore all legislative avenues,” he said. “The president’s vision for a world-class ballroom deserves full and fair consideration under the rules of the House.”
The shutdown immediately halted work on other priorities. Votes on military promotions, a farm bill extension, and a veterans health package were all postponed. A senior GOP aide, speaking on background, said those items could wait.
“We have to prioritize,” the aide said. “The ballroom is a once-in-a-generation project.”
Senator Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Budget Committee, released a statement. “They shut down the People’s House to salvage a billion dollars for a golden ballroom,” Merkley said. “I’ve seen a lot, but this might be the most literal house fire sale in history.”
The House parliamentarian was also consulted. She has been asked to rule on whether a golden ballroom qualifies as critical infrastructure. That decision is not expected until after the recess.
Aides said they are optimistic because the definition of infrastructure was recently expanded to include golf course sprinkler systems.
A separate source in the Speaker’s office confirmed that members used the unexpected break to attend a fundraiser at the former president National Golf Club. The event raised $340,000, the source said, but none of that money went toward the ballroom. It was for the president’s legal defense fund.
