Trump administration seeks $58 million from US Congress to ramp up security after Charlie Kirk shooting

Days after the assassination of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk, reports are emerging that the US President Donald Trump’s administration is asking the country’s Congress to approve $58 million for security services to protect the members of the executive and judicial branches.

The Trump administration is also pushing for additional aid to protect members of Congress, but it has deferred to the legislative branch for further steps on the matter, according to multiple American news outlets. Interestingly, the news of the Trump administration’s demands came as House Democrats prepare to hold a virtual security briefing on Sunday evening in light of Kirk’s killing.

According to The Guardian, the briefing will be held with the House Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police Chief. Last week, one of the most prominent allies of Trump, Charlie Kirk, was killed while speaking at a university in Utah.

After 33 hours of a manhunt, a suspect named Tyler Robinson was arrested. Despite the shooter’s motive still being unconfirmed, Conservatives across the United States have been blaming leftwing liberals for Kirk’s death. According to The Guardian, instances of political violence have increased significantly in the United States.

More than 520 plots and acts of terrorism and targeted violence occurred in nearly all US states during the first six months of 2025. Not only this, at least 96 people have died and 329 have been injured from that violence.

Trump administration ramps up security

A White House official, aware of the demand, told CBS News on Saturday that the extra funds would be directed to the US Marshals Service and would also include enhanced protection for Supreme Court justices.

The demand came just days after House Speaker Mike Johnson said a “deliberate” and thorough review of the program is underway to ramp up security for the representatives. The US Senate is considering additional safety precautions. “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 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, US Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan told CBS News that the department expects to track more than 14,000 threats to members by the end of the year. Sullivan noted that the USCP will be operating at a “heightened posture” going forward. “We’re prepared to continue to react and keep the members of Congress safe,” the police chief averred.

It is important to note that the Trump administration’s demand for $58 billion in security also comes as the deadline for government funding is approaching at the end of the month. The US government is also inching towards a potential shutdown as congressional leaders clash on healthcare-related bills.