Senate Republicans are warning President Trump
Donald TrumpMajority of Americans in new poll say it would be bad for the country if Trump ran in 2024 ,800 bottle of whiskey given to Pompeo by Japan is missing Liz Cheney says her father is 'deeply troubled' about the state of the Republican Party 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.
Sen. John Thune
John Randolph ThuneSenate eyeing possible weekend finish for T infrastructure bill The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Cuomo defiant as Biden, Democrats urge resignation Senate GOP shifts focus to fight over Biden's .5 trillion budget MORE (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, said that he and "a lot of my colleagues" have concerns about the precedent Trump would set if he declared a national emergency to construct the border wall.
John Randolph ThuneSenate eyeing possible weekend finish for T infrastructure bill The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Cuomo defiant as Biden, Democrats urge resignation Senate GOP shifts focus to fight over Biden's .5 trillion budget MORE (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, said that he and "a lot of my colleagues" have concerns about the precedent Trump would set if he declared a national emergency to construct the border wall. "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 Cornyn
John CornynWhite House trying to beat back bipartisan Cornyn infrastructure amendment Senate GOP shifts focus to fight over Biden's .5 trillion budget McConnell warns Schumer cutting off debate quickly could stall infrastructure deal MORE (R-Texas), who is close to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOn The Money: Trump asks court to block release of tax returns to Congress | Private sector adds 330K jobs in July, well short of expectations Senate panel advances first three spending bills McConnell lays out GOP demands for government-funding deal 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.
John CornynWhite House trying to beat back bipartisan Cornyn infrastructure amendment Senate GOP shifts focus to fight over Biden's .5 trillion budget McConnell warns Schumer cutting off debate quickly could stall infrastructure deal MORE (R-Texas), who is close to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOn The Money: Trump asks court to block release of tax returns to Congress | Private sector adds 330K jobs in July, well short of expectations Senate panel advances first three spending bills McConnell lays out GOP demands for government-funding deal 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 Shelby
Richard Craig ShelbyOn The Money: Trump asks court to block release of tax returns to Congress | Private sector adds 330K jobs in July, well short of expectations Senate panel advances first three spending bills Graham's COVID-19 'breakthrough' case jolts Senate 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.
Richard Craig ShelbyOn The Money: Trump asks court to block release of tax returns to Congress | Private sector adds 330K jobs in July, well short of expectations Senate panel advances first three spending bills Graham's COVID-19 'breakthrough' case jolts Senate 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 Schumer
Chuck SchumerYouth organizations call on Biden to ensure 'bold' climate investments New York Times calls on Cuomo to resign 'The Squad' celebrates Biden eviction moratorium MORE (D-N.Y.) said last month that he and Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiLiz Cheney says her father is 'deeply troubled' about the state of the Republican Party 19 House Democrats call on Capitol physician to mandate vaccines Ohio special election: A good day for Democrats MORE (D-Calif.) would "look at any legislative way to stop it."
Chuck SchumerYouth organizations call on Biden to ensure 'bold' climate investments New York Times calls on Cuomo to resign 'The Squad' celebrates Biden eviction moratorium MORE (D-N.Y.) said last month that he and Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiLiz Cheney says her father is 'deeply troubled' about the state of the Republican Party 19 House Democrats call on Capitol physician to mandate vaccines Ohio special election: A good day for Democrats 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 Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsGraham's COVID-19 'breakthrough' case jolts Senate The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate finalizes .2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill Schumer: Democrats 'on track' to pass bipartisan deal, .5T budget 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."
Susan Margaret CollinsGraham's COVID-19 'breakthrough' case jolts Senate The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate finalizes .2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill Schumer: Democrats 'on track' to pass bipartisan deal, .5T budget 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 Romney
Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyGraham's COVID-19 'breakthrough' case jolts Senate The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate finalizes .2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill Senators introduce bipartisan infrastructure bill in rare Sunday session MORE (R-Utah) told reporters that he would be studying the issue, including what it meant for the "constitutional division of power."
Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyGraham's COVID-19 'breakthrough' case jolts Senate The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate finalizes .2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill Senators introduce bipartisan infrastructure bill in rare Sunday session 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 Kennedy
John 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.
John 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. Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin Graham19 House Democrats call on Capitol physician to mandate vaccines The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by AT&T - Simone wins bronze with altered beam routine The job of shielding journalists is not finished MORE (R-S.C.) acknowledged that Trump circumventing Congress on the wall fight divides Republicans, but urged his colleagues to line up behind the president.
Lindsey Olin Graham19 House Democrats call on Capitol physician to mandate vaccines The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by AT&T - Simone wins bronze with altered beam routine The job of shielding journalists is not finished MORE (R-S.C.) acknowledged that Trump circumventing Congress on the wall fight divides Republicans, but urged his colleagues to line up behind the president. "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."
