White House calls for DHS funding after correspondents incident

By Andrew Rice
The Center Square

The White House on Monday called on Congress to fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner Saturday with President Donald Trump just one room away.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the shutdown at DHS “shameful” and said the Secret Service has been affected by the lack of congressional appropriations.

“The Secret Service is a vital component of DHS,” Leavitt said. “It has been directly impacted by this political gamesmanship.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has gone without congressional funding since Feb. 14. DHS spends $1.6 billion on payroll every two weeks.

Officials in the Transportation Security Administration have recieved otherwise appropriated funds laid out by Trump to get paid. However, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned that leftover funds are set to run out in May.

“There is no more emergency fund,” Mullin said. “The president can’t do another executive order for us to use money because there’s no more money there.”

Leavitt also slammed Democrat members of Congress and state leaders, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

“Those who constantly falsely label and slander the president as a fascist, as a threat to democracy, and compare him to Hitler to score political points are fueling this kind of violence,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt compared the rhetoric from leaders to language in the manifesto from accused shooter Cole Allen. Allen said he planned to target top Trump administration officials in the attack.

“I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” Cole wrote in a manifesto to family members before the incident.

Leavitt slammed public figures and elected officials for their rhetoric regarding the president.

“Much of the manifesto of the would-be assassin is indistinguishable from the words that we hear daily from so many,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt expressed support and praise for the security measures at the correspondents dinner.

“The president was satisfied with the response and he’s very grateful to the men and women who provided the response for him and his wife and members of his team,” Leavitt said.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles plans to meet with top leadership at the Department of Homeland Security to discuss security procedures for upcoming events this week, Leavitt said.

“We’re always monitoring operations and procedures, always asking the tough questions to ensure the president is safe and the American people should be assured there’s no higher priority for the president and his staff than the president’s safety,” Leavitt added.