Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-LA, speaks to press in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo
The White House has proposed spending nearly $60 million to heighten security for the executive and judicial branches of government following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The money would be used to enhance security in the U.S. Marshals’ office and would boost protection for Supreme Court Justices, the administration said.
The Trump administration also proposed increasing security for members of Congress, but that request could be deferred to the legislative branch.
The government launched a pilot program in August that allows members of Congress to hire personal security or upgrade their homes for additional protection, according to CBS News. The Senate is also considering additional security precautions for its members.
“We’ve got to protect people who run for public office or no one will, and that’s heavy on our minds as we also, you know, work through the trauma of what happened,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Thursday, referring to the Kirk shooting.
Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan said the department expects to track at least 14,000 threats to congressional lawmakers this year, far ahead of the number in recent years. He said officers will be working in a “heightened posture” going forward.
Kirk’s death has been raised security concerns among both major political parties and other high-profile government and political figures in the United States
The additional money “is necessary due to increased threats against public officials,” the request said, according to The New York Times, and suggests “anticipated costs for the marshals to provide protective services for the Supreme Court of the United States.”
The request for heightened security funding comes as lawmakers work to make a Sept. 30 deadline for a stop gap spending bill.
The funds would be available through the fall of 2027.
