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| Trump declares national emergency to bypass Congress over border wall funds – live news | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Trump is expanding on his national emergency plans. | |
| He said he was building the wall “not because it is a campaign promise, which it is”, but due to an influx of drugs coming across the border. (Again, the majority of drugs coming into the US come through legal points of entry, not in areas where there is no wall.) | |
| “It’s a great thing to do because we have an invasion of drugs, invasion of drugs invasion of people and its unacceptable,” Trump says of the wall. | |
| National emergency declarations have been “signed many times by past presidents”, Trump says, which is true, but most onlookers believe such a declaration is not required in this case – and it is likely to be fought in Congress. | |
| “It’s not like its complicated its very simple we want to stop drugs from coming into our country. We want to stop criminals and gangs from coming into our country,” Trump says. | |
| Donald Trump has declared a national emergency on the US-Mexican border in order to get money to build his promised border wall. | |
| Trump made the announcement on Thursday morning in the Rose Garden at the White House. | |
| “I am going to declare a national emergency,” Trump said. | |
| Trump repeated a number of lies in justifying the need for the wall. The president said, wrongly, that drugs enter the US through areas where there is no border wall. Trump said most drugs do not go through legal points of entry. | |
| “You can’t take human traffic, women and girls through legal points of entry,” Trump said. | |
| “They [border agents] open the door, they look.” | |
| Trump added – again, this is wrong – “They go through areas where they have no wall.” | |
| He’ll use the declaration to spend taxpayer money on the wall without Congressional approval. He had demanded $5.7bn for the wall, which Congress refused to approve. | |
| The measure, which critics call unconstitutional, is expected to face legal challenges. Several Republicans have also called it a bad idea. | |
| We’re still waiting for Trump to appear. In the meantime, a group of women, each carrying large signs, have just walked into the Rose Garden for the president’s announcement. | |
| It looks like they could be “Angel moms” – the parents or relatives of people who have died due to undocumented immigrants. Trump has repeatedly invited Angel moms to his political events. | |
| This is Adam Gabbatt taking over from Erin, by the way. | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has returned to the Supreme Court for the first time this year, after undergoing surgery for cancer. | Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has returned to the Supreme Court for the first time this year, after undergoing surgery for cancer. |
| She’ll attend a closed door conference at the court today, according to CNN. | She’ll attend a closed door conference at the court today, according to CNN. |
| Former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld has launched an exploratory committee to mount a primary challenge against Donald Trump in 2020, Politico reports. | Former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld has launched an exploratory committee to mount a primary challenge against Donald Trump in 2020, Politico reports. |
| Weld is a Republican who in 2016 ran for vice president on the Libertarian ticket. | Weld is a Republican who in 2016 ran for vice president on the Libertarian ticket. |
| “Our president is simply too unstable to carry out the duties of the highest executive office in the land,” Weld said Friday in New Hampshire, according to Politico. | “Our president is simply too unstable to carry out the duties of the highest executive office in the land,” Weld said Friday in New Hampshire, according to Politico. |
| “I’m here because I think our country is in grave peril, and I cannot sit any longer quietly on the sidelines,” he said. “We have a president who openly praises and encourages despotic and authoritarian leaders abroad while going out of his way seemingly to insult and even humiliate our Democratic allies.” | “I’m here because I think our country is in grave peril, and I cannot sit any longer quietly on the sidelines,” he said. “We have a president who openly praises and encourages despotic and authoritarian leaders abroad while going out of his way seemingly to insult and even humiliate our Democratic allies.” |
| Democrats are criticizing the use of military construction funds, one of the sources Donald Trump is expected to tap for border wall money. | Democrats are criticizing the use of military construction funds, one of the sources Donald Trump is expected to tap for border wall money. |
| As a member of the Armed Services Committee we authorize billions of dollars to improve our bases every year. That money is to build facilities to recruit, train and retain the worlds best military. A fake national emergency takes money from that mission. | As a member of the Armed Services Committee we authorize billions of dollars to improve our bases every year. That money is to build facilities to recruit, train and retain the worlds best military. A fake national emergency takes money from that mission. |
| After Donald Trump signs the declaration of national emergency today, he’s expected to head to his Mar a Lago club in Florida. | After Donald Trump signs the declaration of national emergency today, he’s expected to head to his Mar a Lago club in Florida. |
| Here’s Trump’s public schedule for tomorrow. (Public schedules don’t include all of a president’s activities.) pic.twitter.com/9t4LY7XBrN | Here’s Trump’s public schedule for tomorrow. (Public schedules don’t include all of a president’s activities.) pic.twitter.com/9t4LY7XBrN |
| Donald Trump’s emergency declaration would hand him about $8 billion to build his wall on the US-Mexico border. | Donald Trump’s emergency declaration would hand him about $8 billion to build his wall on the US-Mexico border. |
| That’s $1.375 billion approved by Congress for fences along 55 miles of the Texas border, plus another $6.5 billion he intends to spend without Congressional approval, according to the Washington Post. | That’s $1.375 billion approved by Congress for fences along 55 miles of the Texas border, plus another $6.5 billion he intends to spend without Congressional approval, according to the Washington Post. |
| ABC News breaks it down further: $1.375 billion would come from the spending bill Congress passed Thursday; $600 million would come from the Treasury Department’s drug forfeiture fund; $2.5 billion would come from the Pentagon’s drug interdiction program; and $3.5 billion from the Pentagon’s military construction budget. It’s the last item that requires the declaration of a national emergency. | ABC News breaks it down further: $1.375 billion would come from the spending bill Congress passed Thursday; $600 million would come from the Treasury Department’s drug forfeiture fund; $2.5 billion would come from the Pentagon’s drug interdiction program; and $3.5 billion from the Pentagon’s military construction budget. It’s the last item that requires the declaration of a national emergency. |
| Donald Trump is prepared to veto any legislation from Congress to block his emergency declaration. | Donald Trump is prepared to veto any legislation from Congress to block his emergency declaration. |
| On a call with supporters Friday morning, Russell Vought, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget said that Trump would “absolutely veto” a bill, the Washington Post reports. | On a call with supporters Friday morning, Russell Vought, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget said that Trump would “absolutely veto” a bill, the Washington Post reports. |
| He also said it will “shock” people how quickly the administration moves to contract and construct the wall. | He also said it will “shock” people how quickly the administration moves to contract and construct the wall. |
| Republicans are making much of Beto O’Rourke’s comments last night that he would tear down existing border walls. | Republicans are making much of Beto O’Rourke’s comments last night that he would tear down existing border walls. |
| Give Beto O’Rourke points for honesty: he admits that he wants to tear down existing border walls & have totally open borders. At least he’ll say what most Democrat politicians believe. https://t.co/h8Qojyp7gG | Give Beto O’Rourke points for honesty: he admits that he wants to tear down existing border walls & have totally open borders. At least he’ll say what most Democrat politicians believe. https://t.co/h8Qojyp7gG |
| Correct me if I am wrong, but did Beto say he would tear down existing border fencing and walls? | Correct me if I am wrong, but did Beto say he would tear down existing border fencing and walls? |
| So he wants to make illegal immigration, human trafficking, and drug smuggling easier? https://t.co/jCgL4EO1Tf | So he wants to make illegal immigration, human trafficking, and drug smuggling easier? https://t.co/jCgL4EO1Tf |
| The Guardian took a look at the numbers after Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar ignited a controversy with two tweets claiming pro-Israel lobby money influenced American political policy and discourse. The claim led to accusations of antisemitism. | The Guardian took a look at the numbers after Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar ignited a controversy with two tweets claiming pro-Israel lobby money influenced American political policy and discourse. The claim led to accusations of antisemitism. |
| The records show that pro-Israel lobbyists and donors spent more than $22m on lobbying and campaign contributions during the 2018 election cycle. | The records show that pro-Israel lobbyists and donors spent more than $22m on lobbying and campaign contributions during the 2018 election cycle. |
| Omar incorrectly suggested Aipac makes campaign contributions to candidates. However, records show it did spend about $3.5m lobbying during the 2018 election cycle. In total, pro-Israel lobbying groups spent about $5min 2018, the highest tally since tracking began in 1998. | Omar incorrectly suggested Aipac makes campaign contributions to candidates. However, records show it did spend about $3.5m lobbying during the 2018 election cycle. In total, pro-Israel lobbying groups spent about $5min 2018, the highest tally since tracking began in 1998. |
| Pro-Israel groups and individuals also contributed just under $15m to USpoliticians’ campaigns during the 2018 cycle, the highest amount since the 1990 cycle. The J Street Pac, a progressive, pro-Israel lobby that advocates for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, contributed the most at $4.03m. | Pro-Israel groups and individuals also contributed just under $15m to USpoliticians’ campaigns during the 2018 cycle, the highest amount since the 1990 cycle. The J Street Pac, a progressive, pro-Israel lobby that advocates for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, contributed the most at $4.03m. |
| Good morning. Donald Trump is expected today to declare a national emergency, a move that would allow him to spend money on a border wall without Congressional approval. | Good morning. Donald Trump is expected today to declare a national emergency, a move that would allow him to spend money on a border wall without Congressional approval. |
| He’s also expected to sign a government funding bill approved by Congress last night, preventing a government shutdown. | He’s also expected to sign a government funding bill approved by Congress last night, preventing a government shutdown. |
| Democrats and some Republicans call the emergency declaration unconstitutional, and it’s expected to face immediate challenge. | Democrats and some Republicans call the emergency declaration unconstitutional, and it’s expected to face immediate challenge. |
| Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks on the issue at 10am in the White House Rose Garden, according to Reuters. Stay tuned. | Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks on the issue at 10am in the White House Rose Garden, according to Reuters. Stay tuned. |