President Donald Trump’s administration is asking Congress to approve an additional $58 million for security, a request that has triggered sharp backlash from critics who say political leaders are reaping what they’ve sown with a history of inflammatory rhetoric.
The proposal, confirmed Sunday by a leadership aide to NBC News, would fund expanded protection for the executive and judicial branches in the wake of rising political violence — most recently the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old Trump ally who was gunned down while speaking at Utah Valley University last week.
The White House has also voiced support for enhancing member security in Congress, though it deferred to the legislative branch on how to carry that out.
Kirk’s murder was the latest in a string of violent incidents. The killing of Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, the wounding of another Democratic lawmaker and spouse, an arson attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence, and two assassination attempts against Trump himself last summer have all set a tone of concern.
“When we’re talking about protecting judges and protecting individuals, it’s not just their personal safety,” Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday. “It is really declaring to the nation that…that there should be intense debate, that we have very different perspectives.”
Democrats like Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware echoed the urgency, adding: “I hope we will invest in securing our public life. Because incidents like this tragedy in Utah, like the murder of Melissa and her husband Mark Hortman in Minnesota, frankly, fuel further anger in our country.”
But outside Washington, the request has been met with derision. Critics argue politicians are now scrambling for taxpayer-funded protection after embracing, tolerating, or exploiting violent rhetoric themselves under Trump.
“How about no protection at all? It would force politicians to avoid divisive rhetoric and make them think twice about fleecing the public,” one viral post read.
Another pointed to Trump’s own record, “The Trump admin ordered far-right groups to no longer be monitored for terrorism. While Trump is making false claims about the shooter, he is requesting more money to protect himself, his people, and the judiciary. They are scared by the far right. He should have thought better about this.”
Others drew comparisons to Trump’s well-documented habit of belittling and name calling his opponents including labeling the Democrats as “lunatics” and pledging to go after the “radical left” just hours after Kirk’s killing when a suspect was not yet identified.
“Just throwing this out there, but maybe if the POTUS stopped encouraging political violence- or at the very least, stopped being ambivalent towards it when it affects ‘the other side’ – perhaps political violence wouldn’t be gaining steam as it seems to be now.” one critic posted.
The backlash echoed memories of Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) pumping his fist at Jan. 6 rioters outside before later sprinting through Capitol hallways as that same mob closed in. “Why do we have to pay more to provide security for politicians who are screaming inflammatory statements about their ‘enemies,’ then acting scared?” another critic asked.
For Trump personally, the new funding request highlights a contradiction that has become a recurring theme. He publicly downplayed concerns for his safety, while his protective detail quietly escalated their precautions.
Just hours after Kirk’s killing last week, Trump was asked on the White House lawn whether he feared for himself. “Not really. I’m really concerned for our country,” he said. “We have a radical left group of lunatics out there… I’m only concerned for the country.”
Yet by that evening at Yankee Stadium, the contrast was impossible to miss. Fans saw bulletproof glass panels erected in front of his suite, while others later noticed snipers positioned on the stadium roof with rifles trained on the crowd. Helicopters circled the skies over the Bronx, metal detectors created long security lines, and Secret Service agents patrolled every level of the 47,000-seat venue.
The heavy security came as Trump clapped, mouthed lyrics, and danced along to “YMCA,” drawing boos from sections of the crowd when his face appeared on the big screen. Online, reactions swung between disbelief and mockery. “Imagine A President so scared of getting killed in America soil Failed Security system AND still they say there’s world Power IT’s laughable,” wrote one user in a mocking tone.”
The security clampdown is not expected to ease anytime soon. Trump is set to travel to the United Kingdom next week for a state visit, where thousands of police officers, drones, and airspace restrictions are being prepared around Windsor Castle, according to the i Paper. Officials say the protective posture will be unprecedented for a U.S. president abroad.
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