President Trump on Friday said he would “100 percent” veto a resolution from Congress blocking his national emergency declaration diverting funds for construction of a border wall.
“One hundred percent,” Trump told reporters when asked whether he would veto the measure. “And I don’t think it survives a veto. We have too many smart people that want border security, so I can’t imagine it will survive a veto. I will veto it, yes.”
Trump is asked by reporters what he will do if Congress passes a resolution terminating his national emergency.
“I will veto it 100 percent,” he responded. pic.twitter.com/cVaJS0cvwV
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 22, 2019
Trump last week announced his decision to declare a national emergency, which allows him to bypass Congress and redirect money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The White House said up to $3.6 billion from the Defense Department’s military construction fund would be diverted under the emergency declaration.
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, introduced the resolution of disapproval, which has 227 co-sponsors, on Friday. And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Friday that the House would vote Tuesday on the measure.
“The president is not above the law in any way, and this action he is taking is circumventing the Constitution of the United States and does violence to it,” Pelosi said.
Once the Democratic-controlled House passes the resolution, the Senate has 15 days to take it up. In order to pass the upper chamber, four Republicans need to join Democrats in backing the measure.
[Read more: Justin Amash cosponsors Democratic resolution to block Trump’s border emergency]
