Democratic presidential contenders for 2020 blasted President Trump on Friday for his decision to declare an emergency so he can access resources to build hundreds of miles of his proposed southern border wall.
Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York ripped the Trump administration’s definition of an emergency.
“We should do something about the actual emergencies that plague our nation — like climate change or health care access — not playing politics in order to build a wasteful border wall,” Harris tweeted.
We should do something about the actual emergencies that plague our nation — like climate change or health care access — not playing politics in order to build a wasteful border wall.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 15, 2019
“Let’s be clear on this: The only emergency at our border is the humanitarian one Trump created himself, by demonizing and ripping apart families. This manufactured crisis is racist, wasteful, and an outrageous abuse of power from someone too reckless and hateful to hold it,” Gillibrand wrote.
Let’s be clear on this: The only emergency at our border is the humanitarian one Trump created himself, by demonizing and ripping apart families. This manufactured crisis is racist, wasteful, and an outrageous abuse of power from someone too reckless and hateful to hold it.
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) February 15, 2019
Both senators on Thursday voted against the funding deal by a bipartisan group of negotiators, which only provided $1.375 billion of the $5.7 billion Trump demanded for physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. The bill passed, but the funding shortfall triggered the president’s emergency declaration.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who voted in favor of the spending package, criticized the declaration because it will redirect funds from the Department of Defense.
“Not getting what you want to fulfill a campaign promise/chant is not a national emergency. Taking money from real needs and emergencies is what will create an actual emergency,” she tweeted.
Not getting what you want to fulfill a campaign promise/chant is not a national emergency. Taking money from real needs and emergencies is what will create an actual emergency. https://t.co/1pJIubLKtF
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) February 15, 2019
South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg criticized Trump’s use executive action given Republicans had accused former President Barack Obama of constitutional overreach with some of his unilateral acts.
“I may be the youngest one in the 2020 conversation, but I’m old enough to remember conservatives being skeptical about executive power grabs. What will they do today?” he wrote.
I may be the youngest one in the 2020 conversation, but I’m old enough to remember conservatives being skeptical about executive power grabs. What will they do today?
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) February 15, 2019
Former Obama housing secretary Julian Castro also weighed in.
“We no longer have 3 co-equal branches of government. The President, in taking money designated by Congress for other needs to build his senseless wall, has voided the voice of the people. The real national emergency is the constitutional crisis the President just instigated,” he tweeted.
We no longer have 3 co-equal branches of government. The President, in taking money designated by Congress for other needs to build his senseless wall, has voided the voice of the people. The real national emergency is the constitutional crisis the President just instigated.
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) February 15, 2019
Julian Castro’s twin brother Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, on Thursday opposed the bill when it was brought to the House floor over fears Trump would declare an emergency, threatening to introduce a resolution terminating the power.
