President Trump
Donald John TrumpAmash responds to 'Send her back' chants at Trump rally: 'This is how history's worst episodes begin' McConnell: Trump 'on to something' with attacks on Dem congresswomen Trump blasts 'corrupt' Puerto Rico's leaders amid political crisis MORE said on Friday that he "didn't need to" declare a national emergency but did it to speed up construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Donald John TrumpAmash responds to 'Send her back' chants at Trump rally: 'This is how history's worst episodes begin' McConnell: Trump 'on to something' with attacks on Dem congresswomen Trump blasts 'corrupt' Puerto Rico's leaders amid political crisis MORE said on Friday that he "didn't need to" declare a national emergency but did it to speed up construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall."I want to do it faster. I could do the wall over a longer period of time. I didn't need to do this, but I'd rather do it much faster," Trump said during a press conference at the Rose Garden in the White House.
"I could do the wall over a longer period of time. I didn't need to do this, but I'd rather do it much faster," President Trump to @PeterAlexander on national emergency declaration to secure funding for border wall. https://t.co/bmuewGdv83 pic.twitter.com/8VwyqyZy7H
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) February 15, 2019
Trump acknowledged that he got $1.375 billion from Congress for roughly 55 miles of physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border but that he wasn't satisfied with the amount, which is significantly less than the $5.7 billion that he requested.
"I'm not happy with it," he said. "On the wall, they skimped."
Trump used a press conference on Friday to insist that a national emergency was needed, arguing that there was an "invasion" along the country's southern border.
But his statement that he didn't "need to" use the emergency declaration comes as his decision is all but guaranteed to be challenged in court.
Democrats immediately seized on Trump's remarks, with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerTop Democrats demand security assessment of Trump properties Lawmakers pay tribute to late Justice Stevens Trump administration denies temporary immigrant status to Venezuelans in US MORE (D-N.Y.) characterizing them as "unreal."
Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerTop Democrats demand security assessment of Trump properties Lawmakers pay tribute to late Justice Stevens Trump administration denies temporary immigrant status to Venezuelans in US MORE (D-N.Y.) characterizing them as "unreal."“I didn’t need to do this, but I’d rather to do it much faster.” —President @realDonaldTrump
— Chuck Schumer
Mr. President, how can this possibly be an national emergency if you’re saying you don’t need to do it?
Unreal. #FakeTrumpEmergency
George Conway, the husband to White House advisor Kellyanne Conway
Kellyanne Elizabeth ConwayFederal guidance identifying 'go back to where you came from' as discrimination goes viral after Trump comments Kellyanne Conway says she meant 'no disrespect' with question about reporter's ethnicity Kellyanne Conway asks reporter 'what's your ethnicity' while defending Trump's 'go back' comments about minority lawmakers MORE, predicted that Trump's words would be used in legal filings aimed at blocking the executive order.
Kellyanne Elizabeth ConwayFederal guidance identifying 'go back to where you came from' as discrimination goes viral after Trump comments Kellyanne Conway says she meant 'no disrespect' with question about reporter's ethnicity Kellyanne Conway asks reporter 'what's your ethnicity' while defending Trump's 'go back' comments about minority lawmakers MORE, predicted that Trump's words would be used in legal filings aimed at blocking the executive order.This quote should be the first sentence of the first paragraph of every complaint filed this afternoon. https://t.co/ClHQhpTaEe
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) February 15, 2019
