Donald Trump may push untested emergency power
Trump plans to speak from the Oval Office at 9pm Washington time, but it’s unclear whether he will declare a national emergency
US President Donald Trump is eager to invoke a national emergency to bypass an unwilling Congress and build a border wall, according to two people familiar with his thinking, a dramatic move that would test the limits of presidential power. Trump raised the sense of urgency with an announcement he will address the nation in prime time in the US on Tuesday about the “national security crisis” at the border. Whether he exercises emergency powers depends on whether his lawyers conclude it’s a legally defensible move — and that may hinge on the interpretation of an obscure legal provision allowing the defence department to shift military construction funds during a crisis. Some White House insiders believe Trump may act even if the move is sure to face a legal challenge — raising the stakes in a partial federal government shutdown that is stretching into its 18th day. Vice-president Mike Pence told reporters on Monday that White House lawyers are “looking at” the idea. Trump plans to sp...
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