Senate Republicans are warning President TrumpDonald John TrumpForget the spin: Five unrefuted Mueller Report revelations Lara Trump: Merkel admitting migrants 'one of the worst things that ever happened to Germany' Financial satisfaction hits record high: survey MORE ahead of his State of the Union speech against using a national emergency declaration to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall. 

GOP lawmakers warned that declaring a national emergency would be met with resistance on Capitol Hill, where Congress could try to block Trump by using a resolution of disapproval. 
 
 
"There's a lot of reservations in the conference about it and I hope they don't go down that path," Thune told reporters. 
 
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Sen. John CornynJohn CornynOn The Money: Fed pick Moore says he will drop out if he becomes a 'political problem' | Trump vows to fight 'all the subpoenas' | Deutsche Bank reportedly turning Trump records over to NY officials | Average tax refund down 2 percent Kushner saying immigration plan will be 'neutral' on legal admissions: report Cornyn campaign, Patton Oswalt trade jabs over comedian's support for Senate candidate MORE (R-Texas), who is close to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellElection agency limps into 2020 cycle The Hill's Morning Report - Will Joe Biden's unifying strategy work? Dems charge ahead on immigration MORE (R-Ky.), told reporters that declaring a national emergency would be a "dangerous step" that likely wouldn't allow Trump to build the wall border wall because it would get bogged down in court and challenged in Congress. 
 
Congress has until Feb. 15 to get a deal on funding for the border wall and to prevent a second shutdown, which would impact roughly a quarter of the government. The president is demanding $5.7 billion for the wall; Democrats have rejected money for a concrete wall but signaled some openness to fencing or other barriers. 
 
Sen. Richard ShelbyRichard Craig Shelby20 Dems demand no more money for ICE agents, Trump wall Conservatives urge Trump to stick with Moore for Fed Poll: Roy Moore leading Alabama GOP field MORE (R-Ala.), a member of the conference committee tasked with finding a deal, told reporters that a national emergency wouldn't be his preferred route. 
 
"I wouldn't prefer one. I believe we should continue to work toward the legislative solution," he said. "I do believe that the president's probably got the power under the Constitution and maybe under the statue to do that, but I would rather us do it." 
 
Trump has refused to rule out declaring a national emergency if Congress isn't able to reach a deal on wall funding, despite public pushback from Republicans including McConnell. 
 
He hinted to reporters on Friday that they should "listen closely" to his State of the Union speech.
 
“I don't take anything off the table. I don't like to take things off the table. It's that alternative. It's national emergency, it's other things and you know there have been plenty national emergencies called,” Trump separately told CBS News's "Face the Nation" when asked if he would shut down the government. 
 
Democratic leadership hasn't announced if they would force a resolution of disapproval vote if Trump declares a national emergency, though Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerMJ Hegar announces Texas Senate bid Hillicon Valley: House Dems subpoena full Mueller report | DOJ pushes back at 'premature' subpoena | Dems reject offer to view report with fewer redactions | Trump camp runs Facebook ads about Mueller report | Uber gets B for self-driving cars Dem legal analyst says media 'overplayed' hand in Mueller coverage MORE (D-N.Y.) said last month that he and Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy Patricia D'Alesandro PelosiDemocrats are playing voters on their fantasies for impeachment The Hill's Morning Report - Trump tells House investigators 'no' Seven big decisions facing Biden in 2020 primary MORE (D-Calif.) would "look at any legislative way to stop it." 
 
Democrats would likely be able to pass the resolution easily through the House and kick the fight to the Senate, where Schumer would be able to force a vote. 
 
McConnell reportedly warned Trump that a resolution blocking his emergency declaration would be able to get enough GOP votes to pass, forcing the president to issue his first veto. 
 
Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsMcConnell pledges to be 'Grim Reaper' for progressive policies Senate Republicans tested on Trump support after Mueller Collins: Mueller report includes 'an unflattering portrayal' of Trump MORE (R-Maine), while caveating that she doesn't know what Trump is going to, said she is "in general opposed to the president using the National Emergencies Act." 
 
"I don't think the intent was for it to be used in this kind of situation. And as a member of the Senate I'm very concerned if the president believes that he can reallocate or repurpose appropriations for which we have designated very specific purposes," she said. 
 
"It also is in my judgement of dubious constitutionality," Collins added. "So I don't really think it gets him to the goal."  
 
Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyBiden's sloppy launch may cost him Election agency limps into 2020 cycle Giuliani: Huckabee would have made 'an excellent president' MORE (R-Utah) told reporters that he would be studying the issue, including what it meant for the "constitutional division of power." 
 
Republicans have tried to stick closely to Trump during the months-long fight over the border wall, which remains a potent issue among the party's base. But there have been growing fractures about shutdown strategy after GOP senators became increasingly anxious during the 35-day partial funding lapse. 
 
Trump would likely have some GOP support if he declared a national emergency. 
 
Sen. John KennedyJohn Neely KennedyMORE (R-La.) has repeatedly told reporters that he doesn't think it would "be the end of Western civilization," while also saying last week that he didn't know how he would vote on an effort to block the declaration. 
 

"It seems to me that he's gonna have to go it alone, but there could be a war within the Republican party over the wall," Graham said.

He added that "any Republican who denies the president the ability to act as commander in chief, you're going to create a real problem within the party." 

Tags Mitch McConnell Charles Schumer Richard Shelby Lindsey Graham Susan Collins Nancy Pelosi Donald Trump John Kennedy John Cornyn Mitt Romney John Thune National Emergencies Act National Emergency declaration U.S.-Mexico border wall Government shutdown State of the Union