The United States President Donald Trump has on Friday said, to declare a national emergency evade congress and build a border wall along with Mexico, after hinting democrats he is fully prepared to have a partial government shutdown for a year or even longer if they fails to reach his demand for a wall.
According to news reports, at the White House, the US president said: “Absolutely we can call a national emergency because of the security of our country.” He said, “I haven’t done it. I may do it. We can call a national emergency and build it very quickly.”
Trump continued to tweet on Saturday, over the wall terming the southern border “very dangerous”, and claimed for supports from each sides for his position.
Trump’s Friday comments has met with criticism from democrats. Experts and several lawmakers said the congress still need to assign the funds for the border wall even if Trump declares a national emergency.
Former Republican Senate Budget Committee staff director Bill Hoagland said, “He could declare an emergency, but that does not create the funding,” adding, “Congress would still have to fund the emergency.”
The house democrats suggested to file a petition if Trump tries to declare a national emergency in order to meet his demand for wall.
In an official statement, spokesperson for the House Appropriations Committee Evan Hollander said, “The president’s authority in this area is intended for wars and genuine national emergencies.”
“Asserting this authority to build a wasteful wall is legally dubious and would invite a legal challenge from Congress,” Hollander said.
According to reports, Trump made comments after democrats left the house saying the two-hour meeting would not help to progress the deal. Senate minority Chuck Schumer and house speaker Nancy Pelosi said the talks were contentious, and Trump again declined to accept their proposal to re-open government and to deal separately with the dispute on the border wall.
Pelosi said: “We really cannot resolve this until we open up government, and we made that clear to the president.”
In a tweet on Saturday, Trump wrote: “Great support coming from all sides for Border Security (including Wall) on our very dangerous Southern Border. Teams negotiating this weekend!”
Great support coming from all sides for Border Security (including Wall) on our very dangerous Southern Border. Teams negotiating this weekend! Washington Post and NBC reporting of events, including Fake sources, has been very inaccurate (to put it mildly)!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2019
Trump further tweeted: “The Democrats could solve the Shutdown problem in a very short period of time. All they have to do is approve REAL Border Security (including a Wall), something which everyone, other than drug dealers, human traffickers and criminals, want very badly! This would be so easy to do!”
The Democrats could solve the Shutdown problem in a very short period of time. All they have to do is approve REAL Border Security (including a Wall), something which everyone, other than drug dealers, human traffickers and criminals, want very badly! This would be so easy to do!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2019
Former director of the Congressional Budget Office and president of the American Action Forum Douglas Holtz-Eakin said Trump would still be needing congress to fund for wall even if he declares a national emergency strategy.
Douglas said, “Congress holds the purse strings,” adding, “That’s the essence of this dispute. He can declare a national emergency all he wants, but where’s he going to get the money?”
Washington Democrat Adam Smith said: “Diverting money from these military construction accounts could have substantial impacts for service members at installations across the country and on defense projects that are important in supporting readiness, training, operations, and quality of life for military personnel and their families.”
When asked Trump if he undertakes the responsibilities for the government shutdown, Trump replied: “You can call it the Schumer or the Pelosi or the Trump shutdown, it doesn’t matter to me. Just words.”
Trump said, “If we can do it through a negotiated process, we’re giving that a shot.”