WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Democrats requested a Government Accountability Office investigation in June 2026 into whether the Trump administration violated federal law by redirecting nearly $400 million in Secret Service funds. The investigation request concerned money that was transferred to the White House Repair and Restoration account for non-security purposes.

Senator Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Christopher S. Murphy, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, sent a letter to acting Comptroller General Orice Williams Brown. Their letter requested a legal decision on whether the administration's use of these funds violated federal law.

Earlier in June 2026, nearly $400 million in taxpayer funding was apportioned to two Secret Service accounts. The bulk of these funds went to the Secret Service's procurement, construction, and improvements account. Approximately $11 million was apportioned to a Secret Service operations and support account specifically for 'White House Security Measures.'

These funds were subsequently directed to the 'White House Repair and Restoration' account, which belongs to the Executive Office of the President. The administration confirmed that the funds were directed to this account, which controls the East Wing modernization project. The administration stated that the Secret Service intends to use the funds for security upgrades, and further stated that public funds would not be used for the White House's ballroom construction project. President Donald Trump had previously said the ballroom would cost $400 million and be fully paid for by private donations.

The funds were initially drawn from $1.17 billion allotted to the Secret Service as part of the 2025 reconciliation law. That law states the money "may only be used for" measures such as personnel, training facilities, programming, technology, and performance, retention, and signing bonuses for agents.

Democrats argued in their letter that the funding could violate the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits agencies from spending funds except as prescribed by Congress. They also wrote, "The Trump Administration has confirmed to our staff and the press that it plans to tap Secret Service funding to support the ballroom, but there is no funding available for that purpose."