Trump says he could call national emergency to build wall if he wanted to

Trump says he could call national emergency to build wall if he wanted to

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President Donald Trump said Friday that he was considering declaring a national emergency to secure money for a border wall a move that would curtail Congress on an issue that led to the ongoing government shutdown.

When asked about using emergency powers to build the wall without congressional approval, President Trump said if he wanted to, he could.

Trump said

"We can call a national emergency because of the security of our country, absolutely," 

The possibility, first reported by ABC News, is almost certain to face legal challenges if Trump were to elect to make the declaration. During a news conference Friday about negotiations to end the government shutdown, the president told reporters that he was weighing the option, adding "I can do it if I want." 

Presidents have declared scores of emergencies over the past 40 years, dealing with everything from the Iran Hostage Crisis to the Swine Flu. More than 30 of those national emergencies remain in effect.

The idea that President Trump is considering declaring a phony national emergency as a pretext to take billions of dollars away from our troops and defense priorities in order to pay for his wall should alarm all Americans," he said. "Defense spending is for national defense, not the Trump campaign’s political wish list. I will work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to block any attempt to take money that has been dedicated for our troops and redirect it to construction of a wasteful, ineffective wall."

Reed also questioned the legality of the idea, saying the law only allows the redirection of funds within the military for construction when it's necessary to support the armed forces.

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