GOP Senator Explains Why Trump Can't Declare A National Emergency And Build His Wall

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Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) explained that Congress appropriates the funds, even in an emergency, so Trump can’t get any money for his wall without congressional approval.

James Lankford said on MSNBC’s MTP Daily, “I’m going to have to see where that authority is coming from. Obviously congress delegates those funds and appropriates funds specifically for specific purposes. The president does have some reprogramming authority. That typically has to come back to Congress to get additional approval on. He is very passionate about this as an emergency, this needs to be resolved.”

Video:

Trump can't declare a national emergency and build his wall because Congress would still need to appropriate the funds. https://t.co/R8QZl3cDd2 pic.twitter.com/HlkdR5wdjF

— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) January 4, 2019

Contrary to what Trump wants to believe, he doesn’t have unilateral authority to declare a national emergency and build his wall. Congress still has to appropriate the funds. If Congress won’t appropriate the funds, Trump still can’t build his wall. Trump’s authority to move money around within the federal government is also limited. If he wanted to move funds for the wall, he would need congressional approval.

The governmental system of the United States is set up so that no president can act like a king. Trump can’t decree a national emergency and build his wall. If Trump declared a national emergency tomorrow, he still wouldn’t have the money for his wall.

The wall isn’t happening.

When even Republican members of Congress are pointing out that Trump may lack both the authority to declare a national emergency and the ability to get funds for the wall, the idea is DOA.

Trump’s attempt to gut our system of governance because Mexico won’t pay for the wall is destined to fail.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

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