With Democrats reportedly talking about obstructing a continuing resolution and forcing a government shutdown by Oct. 1, the White House has requested $58 million from Congress to strengthen security for the executive and judicial branches following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
The funding would expand protection for Supreme Court justices and increase resources for the U.S. Marshals Service, officials said. The request comes ahead of a Sept. 30 government funding deadline, raising pressure on Congress to act quickly.
The move follows warnings from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who this past week said lawmakers face a "deluge" of threats in the wake of Wednesday's Kirk shooting. Johnson has pressed for enhanced security measures for Congress and warned about social media-fueled calls for violence.
"We've got to protect people who run for public office or no one will, and that's heavy on our hearts and minds, as we also, you know, work through the trauma of what happened," Johnson told reporters Thursday.
Capitol Police have reported a sharp rise in threats against members of Congress and say they are maintaining a "heightened security" posture, according to CBS News.
"We're prepared to continue to react and keep the members of Congress safe," U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan told CBS News, adding his department expects to log more than 14,000 threats to members of Congress this year, far surpassing previous years.
Newsmax has reached out to the White House for comment and has yet to hear back.
House Democrats will hold a "Members-only" virtual security briefing, open to spouses and significant others, Sunday night. The sergeant at arms and Capitol Police chief will participate.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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