President Donald Trump’s policy positions are more unstable than some people’s decision-making process in a fast food drive-thru line. This Friday, he again threatened to declare a national emergency in an effort to use executive power to get the wall built he’s long sought blocking off Mexico. Somehow, he takes that wall as a desperately necessary part of the United States’ national security despite close to no evidence suggesting that a row of sticks or mountain of rock in the desert is going to prove a catch-all solution for immigration issues.
Pressed about his thinking about potentially declaring a national emergency this Friday at the White House, Trump told reporters:
‘I’m certainly thinking about it. I think there’s a good chance that we’ll have to do that, but we will at the same time at the same time be building regardless. We’re building wall, and we’re building a lot of wall, but I can do it a lot faster the other way… Listen closely to the State of the Union. I think you’ll find it very exciting.’
Reporter: Mr. President, have you privately decided whether or not you will declare a national emergency?
Trump: I think there’s a good chance that we’ll have to do that… Everything’s an option. https://t.co/9QYyMPLdxV pic.twitter.com/wp6kkPHCQ2
— POLITICO (@politico) February 1, 2019
The State of the Union had been set for this past week until House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) declined to host the event because Trump wouldn’t reopen the government without billions of dollars for his wall. It’s now set for this coming Tuesday.
Besides his remarks on Friday, he has repeatedly expressed skepticism at the border security and government funding negotiation process. Members of both major parties are currently trying to come to an agreement on government funding beyond February 15, when current provisions will expire and there’s no promise Trump won’t again plunge the government into a shutdown because there’s still no wall money.
The other day, he ranted:
‘If the committee of Republicans and Democrats now meeting on Border Security is not discussing or contemplating a Wall or Physical Barrier, they are Wasting their time!’
The next day he added:
‘Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee are wasting their time. Democrats, despite all of the evidence, proof and Caravans coming, are not going to give money to build the DESPERATELY needed WALL. I’ve got you covered. Wall is already being built, I don’t expect much help!’
President Poor Me is at it again. He continues to cast himself as some sort of savior of the human race — or at least of Americans, and yet, his stances have little to do with reality.
There is no looming invasion over the southern border, just like there was never any invasion in the months before the midterm elections despite Trump repeatedly freaking out about “caravans.” Those oh-so-scary caravans are simply collections of people seeking asylum in the United States, which is not illegal (despite the Trump administration’s best efforts).
Trump has made up threats posed by these people, in at least a few cases seeming to have based his fearmongering on a fictional movie. 2018’s Sicario: Day of the Soldado features captive women held with implements including tape, Muslim prayer rugs at the border, and border-crossers with heavy duty vehicles — none of which translates to reality (it’s a movie) but all of which has popped up in Trump’s recent rhetoric.
Featured Image via YouTube screenshot
