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| Democrats say Trump's national emergency would 'shred' Constitution and vow to block it – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Plenty of people, including Nancy Pelosi, are pointing out that Trump may have immediately complicated the legal case for his national emergency. | |
| “I didn’t need to do this,” Trump said of the national emergency during the press conference. We can expect to see that admission pop-up in plenty of the legal challenges expected to be brought against the president’s declaration. | |
| He admits it's a #FakeTrumpEmergency. Hear him say it: "I *didn’t need* to do this, but I’d rather do it much faster." pic.twitter.com/e92ArhFQB7 | |
| Trump, responding to my question, concedes there’s no national emergency to justify building his wall: “I didn’t need to do this... I just want to do it faster.”That answer will complicate his legal case. | |
| Phew! That was a lot. So what else is going on in politics today? Well, Bill Weld, the Republican former governor of Massachusetts (between 1991 and 1997) has announced he will run against Trump in 2020. | Phew! That was a lot. So what else is going on in politics today? Well, Bill Weld, the Republican former governor of Massachusetts (between 1991 and 1997) has announced he will run against Trump in 2020. |
| In a speech in New Hampshire, Weld said he has set up an exploratory committee to begin the process of challenging Trump. His announcement was deeply critical of the president. | In a speech in New Hampshire, Weld said he has set up an exploratory committee to begin the process of challenging Trump. His announcement was deeply critical of the president. |
| “In every country there comes a time when patriotic men and women must stand up and speak out to protect our individual rights and the overall health of the nation. In our country, now is such a time,” he said, according to the local New Hampshire news station WMUR9. | “In every country there comes a time when patriotic men and women must stand up and speak out to protect our individual rights and the overall health of the nation. In our country, now is such a time,” he said, according to the local New Hampshire news station WMUR9. |
| Here's the money quote from Bill Weld's 2020 announcement pic.twitter.com/0FACtLca2I | Here's the money quote from Bill Weld's 2020 announcement pic.twitter.com/0FACtLca2I |
| Weld, 73, was the vice-presidential candidate for the Libertarian party in 2016, running alongside Gary Johnson. I met him at one of Johnson’s rallies during the campaign. He was very pleasant, and very tall. | Weld, 73, was the vice-presidential candidate for the Libertarian party in 2016, running alongside Gary Johnson. I met him at one of Johnson’s rallies during the campaign. He was very pleasant, and very tall. |
| That’s unlikely to help him beat Trump, however, as my colleague Ed Pilkington notes that Weld has a “Herculean task ahead of him”: | That’s unlikely to help him beat Trump, however, as my colleague Ed Pilkington notes that Weld has a “Herculean task ahead of him”: |
| He is unlikely to be able to muster anything like as much money or media attention as the White House incumbent. | He is unlikely to be able to muster anything like as much money or media attention as the White House incumbent. |
| But by opening a crack of insurgency within the Republican party, he may embolden others to follow. He may also force Trump to expend some energy, however limited, on his right flank at a time when Democratic presidential candidates are amassing on his left. | But by opening a crack of insurgency within the Republican party, he may embolden others to follow. He may also force Trump to expend some energy, however limited, on his right flank at a time when Democratic presidential candidates are amassing on his left. |
| House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said they’ll take action “in the Congress, in the Courts, and in the public”, to oppose Trump’s declaration of an emergency. | House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said they’ll take action “in the Congress, in the Courts, and in the public”, to oppose Trump’s declaration of an emergency. |
| Pelosi and Schumer, the Democrats’ two most senior officials, said Trump’s decision to declare an emergency is unlawful, and would “shred the Constitution” by circumventing Congress’ power to control spending. | Pelosi and Schumer, the Democrats’ two most senior officials, said Trump’s decision to declare an emergency is unlawful, and would “shred the Constitution” by circumventing Congress’ power to control spending. |
| White House officials say some of the money would come from military construction projects. Pelosi and Schumer say Trump would be using money needed “for the security of our military and our nation.” | White House officials say some of the money would come from military construction projects. Pelosi and Schumer say Trump would be using money needed “for the security of our military and our nation.” |
| Democrats can file lawsuits and force congressional votes to block Trump’s money transfers. Trump could veto the legislation should it pass. | Democrats can file lawsuits and force congressional votes to block Trump’s money transfers. Trump could veto the legislation should it pass. |
| •Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to fund his border wall. Speaking in the Rose Garden, Trump said there was an emergency at the border which could only be fixed by building a wall. | •Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to fund his border wall. Speaking in the Rose Garden, Trump said there was an emergency at the border which could only be fixed by building a wall. |
| •The president repeated a number of falsehoods to justify the need for a wall. Trump said, wrongly, that drugs and human trafficking occurs at areas of the border with no wall. Most drugs and human trafficking actually happens at legal points of entry. | •The president repeated a number of falsehoods to justify the need for a wall. Trump said, wrongly, that drugs and human trafficking occurs at areas of the border with no wall. Most drugs and human trafficking actually happens at legal points of entry. |
| •Trump questioned his own government’s statistics on undocumented immigration. US Customs and Border Protection figures show that immigration is at its lowest level in a decade. Asked about the CBP numbers, Trump said: “You don’t really believe that stat do you?” | •Trump questioned his own government’s statistics on undocumented immigration. US Customs and Border Protection figures show that immigration is at its lowest level in a decade. Asked about the CBP numbers, Trump said: “You don’t really believe that stat do you?” |
| •The government expects to be sued over the national emergency declaration, Trump said. “And we will possibly get a bad ruling,” in the courts, he added. “And then we’ll end up in the Supreme Court.” Legal proceedings could hold up the declaration for months. | •The government expects to be sued over the national emergency declaration, Trump said. “And we will possibly get a bad ruling,” in the courts, he added. “And then we’ll end up in the Supreme Court.” Legal proceedings could hold up the declaration for months. |
| Jim Acosta, who the president doesn’t like, asks Trump why he is declaring a national emergency at a time when statistics show undocumented immigration has just dropped to its lowest level in a decade. | Jim Acosta, who the president doesn’t like, asks Trump why he is declaring a national emergency at a time when statistics show undocumented immigration has just dropped to its lowest level in a decade. |
| “You don’t really believe that stat do you?” Trump says. That stat comes from his own government. | “You don’t really believe that stat do you?” Trump says. That stat comes from his own government. |
| Trump says he has seen statistics which contradict the numbers reported by the government’s Customs and Border Protection bureau. | Trump says he has seen statistics which contradict the numbers reported by the government’s Customs and Border Protection bureau. |
| The president is asked where he is getting those statistics from. | The president is asked where he is getting those statistics from. |
| “I use many stats,” Trump says. | “I use many stats,” Trump says. |
| Trump can’t answer the question about how he is making stuff up about what’s happening at the border. | Trump can’t answer the question about how he is making stuff up about what’s happening at the border. |
| A reporter asks Trump if he is changing on the job. | A reporter asks Trump if he is changing on the job. |
| “Well I’m learning. I am learning,” he says. | “Well I’m learning. I am learning,” he says. |
| Trump says he had never run for office before before 2016. This is untrue. He ran for president on the Reform Party ticket in 2000. | Trump says he had never run for office before before 2016. This is untrue. He ran for president on the Reform Party ticket in 2000. |
| “I’ve won one out of one [election],” Trump says. | “I’ve won one out of one [election],” Trump says. |
| “I never did politics before.” | “I never did politics before.” |
| Trump is asked about concerns that this declaration could set a precedent for future presidents to announce national emergencies willy nilly. | Trump is asked about concerns that this declaration could set a precedent for future presidents to announce national emergencies willy nilly. |
| “Not too many people have said that,” Trump says. (A lot of people, including Republicans, have definitely said that.) | “Not too many people have said that,” Trump says. (A lot of people, including Republicans, have definitely said that.) |
| He repeats his statement about expecting to be sued. It could mean that the government doesn’t get the money for a long time, Trump says. | He repeats his statement about expecting to be sued. It could mean that the government doesn’t get the money for a long time, Trump says. |
| Trump says he will sign the final papers on the national emergency when he finishes this press conference. That could take a while because he’s currently in the middle of a riff about expected legal proceedings against his declaration. | Trump says he will sign the final papers on the national emergency when he finishes this press conference. That could take a while because he’s currently in the middle of a riff about expected legal proceedings against his declaration. |
| “We will then be sued,” after signing the declaration, Trump says. | “We will then be sued,” after signing the declaration, Trump says. |
| “And we will possibly get a bad ruling, he says: “And then we’ll end up in the Supreme Court.” | “And we will possibly get a bad ruling, he says: “And then we’ll end up in the Supreme Court.” |
| Trump says he hopes for a positive ruling from the Supreme Court. Essentially, it is likely this national emergency declaration will be tied up for months in the courts, and possibly ruled unconstitutional. But he’s doing it anyway. | Trump says he hopes for a positive ruling from the Supreme Court. Essentially, it is likely this national emergency declaration will be tied up for months in the courts, and possibly ruled unconstitutional. But he’s doing it anyway. |
| Trump is expanding on his national emergency plans. | 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.) | 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. | “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. | 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. | “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. | 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. | 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. | “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. | 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. | “You can’t take human traffic, women and girls through legal points of entry,” Trump said. |
| “They [border agents] open the door, they look.” | “They [border agents] open the door, they look.” |
| Trump added – again, this is wrong – “They go through areas where they have no wall.” | 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. | 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. | The measure, which critics call unconstitutional, is expected to face legal challenges. Several Republicans have also called it a bad idea. |