Senate Republicans are warning President Trump
Donald TrumpUS, South Korea reach agreement on cost-sharing for troops Graham: Trump can make GOP bigger, stronger, or he 'could destroy it' Biden nominates female generals whose promotions were reportedly delayed under Trump 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 ThuneGOP votes in unison against COVID-19 relief bill Senate holds longest vote in history as Democrats scramble to save relief bill Biden gets involved to help break Senate logjam 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 ThuneGOP votes in unison against COVID-19 relief bill Senate holds longest vote in history as Democrats scramble to save relief bill Biden gets involved to help break Senate logjam 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 CornynSenate holds longest vote in history as Democrats scramble to save relief bill Biden gets involved to help break Senate logjam Overnight Defense: Capitol Police may ask National Guard to stay | Biden's Pentagon policy nominee faces criticism | Naval Academy midshipmen moved to hotels MORE (R-Texas), who is close to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDemocrats near pressure point on nixing filibuster We need a voting rights workaround Biden takes victory lap after Senate passes coronavirus relief package 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 CornynSenate holds longest vote in history as Democrats scramble to save relief bill Biden gets involved to help break Senate logjam Overnight Defense: Capitol Police may ask National Guard to stay | Biden's Pentagon policy nominee faces criticism | Naval Academy midshipmen moved to hotels MORE (R-Texas), who is close to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDemocrats near pressure point on nixing filibuster We need a voting rights workaround Biden takes victory lap after Senate passes coronavirus relief package 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 ShelbyCBC 'unequivocally' endorses Shalanda Young for White House budget chief Black Caucus members lobby Biden to tap Shalanda Young for OMB head On The Money: Senate panels postpone Tanden meetings in negative sign | Biden signs supply chain order after 'positive' meeting with lawmakers 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 ShelbyCBC 'unequivocally' endorses Shalanda Young for White House budget chief Black Caucus members lobby Biden to tap Shalanda Young for OMB head On The Money: Senate panels postpone Tanden meetings in negative sign | Biden signs supply chain order after 'positive' meeting with lawmakers 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 SchumerManchin firm on support for filibuster, mulls making it 'a little bit more painful' to use Biden takes victory lap after Senate passes coronavirus relief package Lawmakers demand changes after National Guard troops at Capitol sickened from tainted food MORE (D-N.Y.) said last month that he and Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiTrump White House associate tied to Proud Boys before riot via cell phone data Greene sounds off on GOP after Hill story 'Bloody Sunday' to be commemorated for first time without John Lewis MORE (D-Calif.) would "look at any legislative way to stop it."
Chuck SchumerManchin firm on support for filibuster, mulls making it 'a little bit more painful' to use Biden takes victory lap after Senate passes coronavirus relief package Lawmakers demand changes after National Guard troops at Capitol sickened from tainted food MORE (D-N.Y.) said last month that he and Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump White House associate tied to Proud Boys before riot via cell phone data Greene sounds off on GOP after Hill story 'Bloody Sunday' to be commemorated for first time without John Lewis 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 CollinsSenate rejects Sanders minimum wage hike Murkowski votes with Senate panel to advance Haaland nomination OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Interior reverses Trump policy that it says restricted science | Collins to back Haaland's Interior nomination | Republicans press Biden environment nominee on Obama-era policy 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 CollinsSenate rejects Sanders minimum wage hike Murkowski votes with Senate panel to advance Haaland nomination OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Interior reverses Trump policy that it says restricted science | Collins to back Haaland's Interior nomination | Republicans press Biden environment nominee on Obama-era policy 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: Trump can make GOP bigger, stronger, or he 'could destroy it' Democratic centrists flex power on Biden legislation Ron Johnson grinds Senate to halt, irritating many 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: Trump can make GOP bigger, stronger, or he 'could destroy it' Democratic centrists flex power on Biden legislation Ron Johnson grinds Senate to halt, irritating many 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 GrahamGraham: Trump can make GOP bigger, stronger, or he 'could destroy it' Sunday shows preview: Manchin makes the rounds after pivotal role in coronavirus relief debate Georgia DA investigating Trump taps racketeering expert for probe: report 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 GrahamGraham: Trump can make GOP bigger, stronger, or he 'could destroy it' Sunday shows preview: Manchin makes the rounds after pivotal role in coronavirus relief debate Georgia DA investigating Trump taps racketeering expert for probe: report 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."
