President Trump Visits Border Amid US Shutdown Wall Row
United States President Donald Trump has threatened again to declare a national emergency to fund a border wall without Congress’s approval.
“I have the absolute right to declare a national emergency,” he told reporters as he headed to an event at the border.
He also said Mexico would “indirectly” pay for the wall - contradicting an earlier campaign memo. The government has been in partial shutdown for 20 days, leaving about 800,000 federal employees without pay.
President Trump refuses to sign legislation to fund and reopen the government if it does not include $5.7bn (£4.5bn) for a physical barrier along the US-Mexico border. But budget talks have come to a standstill as Democrats - who control the House of Representatives refuse to give him the money.
Republican leaders insist the party stands behind the president, although some Republican lawmakers have spoken out in favour of ending the shutdown.
How could Trump pay for the wall without Congress?
On Thursday, Mr Trump visited a border patrol station in McAllen, in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. He said that if Congress did not approve funding for the wall, he would “probably... I would almost say definitely” declare a national emergency to bypass lawmakers.
Analysts say that while presidents can direct military construction projects during war or national emergencies, the move would almost certainly face a legal challenge, and be accused of violating constitutional procedures.
The money would also have to come from funds allocated by Congress for other purposes - which some Republicans would also oppose.
Mr Trump has been briefed on one plan that would involve diverting funding allocated to reconstruction projects in disaster areas, including Puerto Rico, to pay for the wall, NBC reports, citing three unnamed US officials.