Taking the shutdown fight to the Mexican border, President Donald Trump edged closer Thursday to declaring a national emergency in an extraordinary end run around Congress to fund his long-promised border wall. Pressure was mounting to find an escape hatch from the three-week impasse that has closed parts of the government, cutting scattered services and leaving hundreds of thousands of workers without pay.
Trump, visiting McAllen, Texas, and the Rio Grande to highlight what he says is a crisis of drugs and crime, said that “if for any reason we don’t get this going” — an agreement with House Democrats who have refused to approve the $5.7 billion he demands for the wall — “I will declare a national emergency.”
Some 800,000 workers, more than half of them still on the job, were to miss their first paycheck on Friday under the stoppage, and Washington was close to setting a dubious record for the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history. Those markers — along with growing effects to national parks, food inspections and the economy overall — left some Republicans on Capitol Hill increasingly uncomfortable with Trump’s demands.
Asked about the plight of those going without pay, the president shifted the focus, saying he felt badly “for people that have family members that have been killed” by criminals who came over the border.
Trump was consulting with White House attorneys and allies about using presidential emergency powers to take unilateral action to construct the wall over the objections of Congress. He claimed his lawyers told him the action would withstand legal scrutiny “100 percent.” But such a move to bypass Congress’ constitutional control of the nation’s purse strings would spark certain legal challenges and bipartisan cries of executive overreach.
“We’re either going to have a win, make a compromise —because I think a compromise is a win for everybody— or I will declare a national emergency,” Trump said before departing the White House for his politically flavored visit to the border. He wore his campaign-slogan “Make America Great Again” cap throughout.
It was not clear what a compromise might entail, and there were no indications that one was in the offing. Trump says he won’t reopen the government without money for the wall. Democrats say they favor measures to bolster border security but oppose the long, impregnable barrier that Trump envisions.
No negotiations were taking place at the Capitol.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said at one point that he didn’t “see a path in Congress” to end the shutdown, then stated later that enough was enough: “It is time for President Trump to use emergency powers to fund the construction of a border wall/barrier.”
Visiting a border patrol station in McAllen, Trump viewed tables piled with weapons and narcotics. Like nearly all drugs trafficked across the border, they were intercepted by agents at official ports of entry, he was told, and not in the remote areas where he wants to extend tall barriers.
Still, he declared, “A wall works. … Nothing like a wall.”
He argued that the U.S. can’t solve the problem without a “very substantial barrier” along the border, but offered exaggerations about the effectiveness of border walls and current apprehensions of those crossing illegally.
Sitting among border patrol officers, state and local officials and military representatives, Trump insisted he was “winning” the shutdown fight and criticized Democrats for asserting he was manufacturing a sense of crisis in order to declare an emergency. “What is manufactured is the use of the word ‘manufactured,'” Trump said.
As he arrived in Texas, several hundred protesters near the airport in McAllen chanted and waved signs opposing a wall. Across the street, a smaller group chanted back: “Build that wall!”
In Washington, federal workers denounced Trump at a rally with congressional Democrats, demanding he reopen the government so they can get back to work.
President Obama, thank you for your great support – I have been saying this all along! pic.twitter.com/L506g9Aq4z
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2019
MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2019
On Capitol Hill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the president of engaging in political games to fire up his most loyal supporters, suggesting that a heated meeting Wednesday with legislators at the White House had been “a setup” so that Trump could walk out of it.
In an ominous sign for those seeking a swift end to the showdown, Trump announced he was canceling his trip to Davos, Switzerland, scheduled for later this month, citing Democrats’ “intransigence” on border security. He was to leave Jan. 21 to attend the World Economic Forum.
The partial shutdown would set a record early Saturday, stretching beyond the 21-day closure that ended on Jan 6, 1996, during President Bill Clinton’s administration.
From the Southern Border…. pic.twitter.com/Vgsf5nEZUH
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2019
PRESIDENT TRUMP: ‘When during the campaign I would say Mexico is going to pay for it. Obviously I never said this and I never meant they are going to write out a check….” pic.twitter.com/6q1L76jG8x
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 10, 2019
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When I went with President @realDonaldTrump to the border today I never imagined @Acosta would be there doing our job for us and so clearly explaining why WALLS WORK. Thanks Jim! https://t.co/7wC4rdEsZ2
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) January 10, 2019
Brother of Calif. police officer Ronil Singh speaks during President Trump’s border visit:
“Looking at that five-month-old baby looking for his dad—no one should ever go through that on Christmas day.”
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 10, 2019
The Mainstream Media has NEVER been more dishonest than it is now. NBC and MSNBC are going Crazy. They report stories, purposely, the exact opposite of the facts. They are truly the Opposition Party working with the Dems. May even be worse than Fake News CNN, if that is possible!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2019
Gave an OFF THE RECORD luncheon, somewhat of a White House tradition or custom, to network anchors yesterday – and they quickly leaked the contents of the meeting. Who would believe how bad it has gotten with the mainstream media, which has gone totally bonkers!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2019
Cryin Chuck told his favorite lie when he used his standard sound bite that I “slammed the table & walked out of the room. He had a temper tantrum.” Because I knew he would say that, and after Nancy said no to proper Border Security, I politely said bye-bye and left, no slamming!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2019
Why do we need border security? This is why. These are the facts. #SecureOurBorder pic.twitter.com/dMpYb3p4Wy
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) January 10, 2019
(AP)
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6 Responses
good for trump
After two years of the Democrats threatening to impeach Trump for being politically incorrect (which is NOT an impeachable offense by any standard), Trump plans to spend money without an appropriation from Congress, which is an impeachable offense. The principle that the legislature has the “power of the purse” has been around 800 years and is clearly stated in the constitution. And while “big government” Republicans won’t object, many Republicans favor “small government” and a strict construction of the constitution, and would not mind setting a precedent to bind (cripple might be a better word) future Democratic presidents as well.
My suggestion, stay there for the next 2 years and work on building the wall yourself, the country will be better off and your sycophantic supporters will think you’re a hero.
The principle that the legislature has the “power of the purse” has been around 800 years
Is USA 800 years old, didnt know!
I heard Trump say dozens of times that Mexico was going to pay for his wall. Why is he backing away from that now? Couldn’t he make a great deal with Mexico?
The Trump organization should pay for it! Of course Trump has billions more than the mexicans,right???
Come on, this is bubkas for a self made billionare like the Great Comrade Trump!