Updated September 27, 2019 Rule of Law
Major Abuse of Power
National Emergency Declaration: Diverting Congress-Rejected Wall Funding
Trump had explicitly asked Congress for $5.7 billion for the border wall; Congress appropriated $1.375 billion for fencing, far less than requested. Trump signed the appropriations bill and then simultaneously declared a national emergency to bypass the congressional decision and access Pentagon funds Congress had not authorized for this purpose. He acknowledged the emergency framing was pretextual, saying at the announcement: '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.' Congress voted to terminate the emergency; Trump vetoed. Courts blocked parts of the diversion; the Supreme Court allowed it to proceed pending litigation.