Throughout Donald Trump’s presidency, his worst acts against the United States – family separation, sending troops to the border to fight a legal group of migrant asylum-seekers, the longest government shutdown in American history – have always been helped along by GOP leaders like former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Trump’s latest plan of action on the border wall, however, may finally end the silent streak of the GOP establishment. The Washington Post reports:
‘Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cautioned President Trump privately this week about the consequences of declaring a national emergency to build his border wall, telling him the move could trigger political blowback and divide the GOP, according to two Republicans with knowledge of the exchange.’
McConnell, per @washingtonpost, has privately urged Trump not to declare national emergency. Trump heavily hints he will push forward anyway in SOTU Tues. Can he really rally the public? His last prime time on Wall was a dud. Pls join me and @davidaxelrod as we discuss @AC360
— David Gergen (@David_Gergen) February 2, 2019
Only 67 percent of Republicans in Congress support Trump’s latest hinted plan to declare a national emergency in order to get the $5.7 billion in funding for his racist vanity wall along the southern border. A majority of Republicans said they even “strongly agreed” with that course of action, but with 33 percent opposed, the plan has the makings of a giant civil war within the GOP.
‘McConnell (R-Ky.) told Trump that Congress might end up passing a resolution disapproving the emergency declaration, the people said — which would force the president to contemplate issuing his first veto ever, in the face of opposition from his own party.’
Do not underestimate the UNITY within the Republican Party!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 26, 2017
Trump has been hinting at the idea since even before the government shutdown, but has doubled down on the threat in recent days. Asked about the chances of a national emergency being declared on Friday, Trump told reporters that he would “probably have to do that.” If he does, a legal battle will begin that could take months or even years. If he doesn’t and won’t agree to any other solution, the government could shut down once again on February 15.
‘Trump again dismissed chances that he’ll get the $5.7 billion in wall funding he wants from a bipartisan congressional committee charged with producing a border security solution that could forestall another government shutdown. The committee is working to come up with a deal that could pass before Feb. 15, when a stopgap spending bill will expire if there is no action by Congress and Trump.’
While Democrats are negotiating in good faith to prevent another disastrous #TrumpShutdown that cost our economy $11 billion, Trump is laying the groundwork to declare a “national emergency” that even Republicans don’t want.#NoMoreShutdowns
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) February 1, 2019
Trump, in his reality TV game show host style, made broad suggestions that he might make the declaration during his State of the Union address, telling reporters to “tune in” because he believes they’ll find the speech “exciting.”
‘We will be looking at a national emergency because I don’t think anything’s going to happen. I don’t think Democrats want border security.’
There’s no case for an emergency. Period. If Trump pretends there’s a “national emergency” and provokes the courts just so he can blame judges for his failure to build his stupid vanity wall, that’ll be one more abuse of power for Congress to consider. https://t.co/hG12SxQ8qU
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) February 1, 2019
The move would leave Republicans in Congress little other option but to revolt. McConnell is warning Trump that he may not be able to control the reaction of his fellow Senators, and that they could pass legislation to deny his national emergency declaration. Trump would then be caught between the racist fanbase who is vowing not to vote for him in 2020 without the wall and the GOP members of Congress he needs if he ever wants to get another bill passed.
‘A growing concern for Republicans — which McConnell voiced to Trump at the White House — is that they would be forced to vote on a disapproval resolution aimed at overturning the declaration, and that the resolution would pass.’
WATCH: Is Trump building a “perceived reality” for his base when it comes to the wall? #MTPDaily @yamiche: “It almost seems like he’s pivoted to this other idea, thinking — Well, if I just say the wall is being built, I don’t even have to declare a national emergency.” pic.twitter.com/YsSEmmfSWD
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) February 1, 2019
Featured image via Flickr by Gage Skidmore under a Creative Commons license
