[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 20, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2384-S2385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, it has been a hell of a bad week for
Donald Trump and his Republicans, maybe the worst week they have ever
had. Bogged down by Donald Trump's stunningly corrupt MAGA slush fund,
Trump's billion-dollar, taxpayer-funded ballroom, and the
recordbreaking gas costs as we approach the Memorial Day weekend,
Republicans are having a terrible, terrible week--one that may even
rival the week they had when they passed their so-called Big Beautiful
Bill, which America hated. And it is only Wednesday. It is only
Wednesday. But however bad this week is for Republicans--and, believe
me, it is bad--it has been even worse for the American people.
First, on Trump's nearly $2 billion MAGA slush fund--incredible
depravity, disgusting selfishness--yesterday, Trump's Department of
Justice expanded the settlement he made with himself, granting him and
his family immunity from tax audits.
Did you hear that, America? Trump just gave his family a license to
commit tax fraud to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, if not
more. He is using nearly $2 billion, America, of your taxpayer dollars
that he has placed in a slush fund to enrich his MAGA loyalists. Trump
doesn't have to pay his taxes, and meanwhile, he is using your tax
dollars, America, to line the pockets of his family and his far-right
cronies.
The naked corruption, something as low and depraved as we have ever
seen, is absolutely egregious. Only in Trump's Washington could a
President sue himself, settle with himself, and somehow stick the
American people with the bill. Who would have thought that even a man
as depraved and low as Donald Trump, as dishonest and as selfish, would
do something like this? Trump's slush fund is a heist where the robber
owns the bank, runs the police department, and gets to pardon himself
on the way out.
Just as egregious as how Trump stole this money is who he plans to
give it to: his billionaire cronies, convicted criminals, and the cop
beaters who maimed our brave U.S. Capitol Police on January 6.
Meanwhile, Trump is making a deal with himself, shaking hands with
himself on a corrupt deal as he shakes down the American people.
Republican Senators should make no mistake--Democrats are going to
force Republican Senators to vote on this slush fund on the floor in
the upcoming reconciliation bill in the next day or two. Republicans
will not be able to duck or hide.
Republicans, are you for the slush fund--this evil, corrupt slush
fund--or are you against it? Are you going to bow down to Donald Trump
when you know how egregious, how despicable, how nasty, how disgusting
this slush fund is? Will you bow down to Trump? Will you vote for the
slush fund or against it?
Democrats are going to force Republicans to take a stand in the next
day.
Now, a second chapter--the next chapter that is part of Trump's
terrible, terrible week is the ballroom. Yesterday, Donald Trump
defended his billion-dollar, gold-plated, taxpayer-funded ballroom,
calling it ``a gift to the United States of America.'' A gift? Let's
call Trump's ballroom what it is: a boondoggle, a vanity project, an
insult to every American--especially those struggling to make ends meet
right now. This ballroom is no gift to the American people; it is a
congressional Republican personal gift to Donald J. Trump--right. It is
the Republican Senators here in this Chamber giving Donald Trump the
personal gift of a billion-dollar ballroom.
Trump said yesterday--again, he just lies--Trump said yesterday that
the ballroom is not going to be paid for by the taxpayer. Then why have
Americans watched Republicans work around the clock on proposal after
proposal to grant $1 billion to build Trump's ballroom, all at the
taxpayers' expense? When Trump says it ``is not going to be paid for by
the taxpayer,'' it is flagrant, shameless lying. He is very good at
that.
Fortunately, Democrats stopped Republicans' first attempt to fund the
ballroom through reconciliation, but rest assured the Senate GOP is
working to take money out of your paycheck to finance Trump's palace,
America.
Republicans are in such disarray as they scramble over the ballroom,
now they are slow-walking the whole process. We still don't have a
reconciliation bill on our desks.
Regardless of whether the ballroom funding makes it into the
reconciliation bill--and Democrats will keep fighting to ensure that it
doesn't--Republicans have already showed America their true colors.
While Democrats are fighting to lower Americans' costs,
[[Page S2385]]
Republicans are fighting like hell to waste billions of dollars on
things taxpayers do not want, do not need, and certainly should not be
forced to pay for. That is true of the billion-dollar ballroom. That is
true of the tens of billions of dollars the Republican bill would give
to Trump's masked agents, who have gunned down Americans in the
streets. It is true of the whole GOP entire agenda.
Republicans can change the pricetag of the ballroom. They tried to
rewrite the text. They even attempted to hide this boondoggle in the
bill, but we caught them. Republicans will not be able to distance
themselves from this corruption. Democrats will make sure of that. No
matter what happens, we will make sure the American people know where
Republicans stand. We will make sure Republicans have to go on the
record and show what they are really fighting for when we vote this
week: Trump's gilded palace--not working families, not lower costs, not
for the American people.
The American people want lower costs. They are giving money to the
ballroom. They are giving money to the slush fund. How out of touch are
they? How harmful are they to the average working family's interests?
Then, the third part of Trump's terrible, terrible, terrible week is
the continuing increase in gas prices. As Americans pack up the car and
fire up the grill ahead of Memorial Day, they are getting crushed by
the skyrocketing costs of Trump's disastrous war in Iran.
With gas selling for over $4.50 a gallon, up nearly 45 percent--45
percent--since this time last year, many Americans are canceling their
Memorial Day plans because they simply can't afford to drive.
Americans can't afford a barbecue when the cost of the beef they put
on the grill and the propane they use to fuel it are both going up too.
Republicans ought to take note that among the States that have seen
the greatest increase in gas prices since the war are the battleground
States of Ohio, Michigan, and Alaska. One report says those are the
three highest. They are the battleground States.
What did Donald Trump have to say yesterday about these surging gas
prices across the country? He said:
This is peanuts.
Can you believe this guy? Donald Trump thinks the hundreds of extra
dollars Americans are shelling out at the gas station each month are
peanuts, a pittance.
What does he know? Does he ever fill up his own tank with gas? No.
Trump should tell the American people that he thinks it is a pittance
and tell that to America's small businesses, which suffered their
biggest decline in 2 years, last month, because of the surge in costs.
Trump should tell that to American farmers, who are struggling to
afford fuel for their tractors and agriculture equipment, after facing
rising costs from tariffs and now increased costs of fertilizer.
The GOP continues to stand by Donald Trump's handling of this war,
but the cracks are starting to form.
Yesterday, Democrats convinced enough Republicans to break ranks and
advance our War Powers Resolution to end Trump's war. Our vote on our
War Powers Resolution yesterday was an important step toward ending
Trump's war, but we won't stop pushing and pushing and pushing until
Republicans finally join us in ending this reckless war. Democrats are
going to keep the pressure up.
In conclusion, this has been a terrible week--a terrible, terrible
week--for Donald Trump and Republicans, and it will get only worse for
our Senate Republicans during vote-arama because Democrats are going to
force Senate Republicans to vote on amendment after amendment about
Trump's ballroom, Trump's slush fund, and the rising costs of Trump's
war. They are not going to be able to hide.
The American people are going to see the clear difference between the
parties. We are for working people. We are for getting costs down,
going after corruption, ending the chaos. And yet they, by backing
Donald Trump, make all three worse.
I encourage the American people to watch this debate, though they
already know what they will see: Republicans fighting for Trump,
Democrats fighting to lower costs.
And, finally, to make matters even worse for this terrible, terrible
week for Republicans, I will utter one final word: Texas.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sheehy). The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________