Donald Trump to use veto power after Republicans rebuff him on wall

Donald Trump to use his veto power to secure border wall funds after Republican controlled Senate rebuffed national emergency.

Donald Trump with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Picture: AFP.

Donald Trump says he will use his presidential veto power for the first time to secure funding for his border wall after Congress today delivered a harsh rebuff to his declaration of a national emergency on border security.

In an embarrassing defeat for the president, the Republican-controlled Senate voted to overturn his declaration following a similar resolution in the Democrat-controlled house last week.

The 59 to 41 vote came after 12 Republican Senators voted with Democrats despite intense lobbying by the president prior to the vote.

Shortly after the vote passed, Mr Trump tweeted: “VETO!”

VETO!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2019

Anticipating the defeat, Mr Trump said before the vote that the result “didn’t matter” because “I’ll probably have to veto. It’s not going to be overturned.’

Mr Trump’s veto will be effective because neither the House or the Senate is likely to have the two-thirds majority required to override a presidential veto.

The Senate vote placed Republicans in an awkward position of either having to back the president on his use of emergency powers or vote against him and risk their relationship with him.

Those Republican Senators who rejected Mr Trump’s emergency declaration said it was an overreach of presidential powers which created a dangerous precedent for future presidents, including Democrat presidents.

Republican Senator Lamar Alexander, who voted against Mr Trump’s declaration said “The problem with this is that after a Revolutionary War against a king, our nation’s founders gave to Congress the power to approve all spending so that the president would not have too much power. This check on the executive is a crucial source of our freedom.”

Another Republican Senator Mitt Romney said “This is a vote for the constitution and for the balance of powers that is at its core … this is not a vote against border security.”

Mr Trump declared a national emergency to allow him to secure an extra $3.6 billion more funds for his promised wall along the US-Mexican border after Congress refused to grant him the $5.7 billion the president had demanded. Democrats say it was a misuse of the president’s national emergency powers because they argue there is no national emergency along the border.

The deadlock over the funding issue triggered a record 35 day federal government shutdown.

In tweets ahead of the vote, Mr Trump portrayed the issue as a vote on border security and loyalty rather than on presidential powers.

“A vote for today’s resolution by Republican Senators is a vote for Nancy Pelosi, Crime, and the Open Border Democrats!” Mr Trump tweeted.

“ … If, at a later date, Congress wants to update the law, I will support those efforts, but today’s issue is BORDER SECURITY and Crime!!! Don’t vote with Pelosi!”

A vote for today’s resolution by Republican Senators is a vote for Nancy Pelosi, Crime, and the Open Border Democrats!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2019

Mr Trump denied that the use of emergency powers was illegal or unconstitutional.

“Prominent legal scholars agree that our actions to address the National Emergency at the Southern Border and to protect the American people are both CONSTITUTIONAL and EXPRESSLY authorised by Congress …” he tweeted.

On the Senate floor Republican Senator Rob Portman, who voted to overturn the declaration said: “It’s imperative for the president to honour Congress’ constitutional role. A national emergency declaration is a tool to be used cautiously and sparingly.”

But those Republicans who voted for the president’s order argued that it was consistent with the law and was necessary to help build the wall to safeguard national security.

“There is a crisis at the border and (Democrat house speaker) Nancy Pelosi and (Senate Minority leader) Chuck Schumer have prevented a solution,” Republican Senator Cory Gardner said “It should never have come to this, but in the absence of congressional action, the President did what Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer refused to do.”

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and two other Senators met with the president briefly last night in a failed attempt to find a compromise to prevent Republicans from crossing the floor to vote with Democrats on the issue.

Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia