OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:39 AM PT — Thursday, January 10, 2019
President Trump is threatening to use his executive power to declare the border crisis a national emergency if Congress fails to come to an agreement on funding.
Prior to his departure for Texas, the president insisted a strong border is needed, adding, a wall or steel barrier is essential to border security in order to stop people from entering the country illegally.
The president went on to say he would rather work with Congress in order to secure funding for the wall, however, he is willing to declare a national emergency if Democrats are not willing to make a deal.
“I have the absolute right to declare a national emergency, the lawyers have so advised me,” stated President Trump. “I’m not prepared to do that yet, but if I have to I will — I have no doubt about it, I will.”
The president told reporters he is seeing strong support and unity in the Republican party. He also affirmed Mexico will be paying for the wall many times over through the new USMCA trade deal.
Meanwhile, President Trump is rejecting a claim by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer after the Democrat accused him of throwing a “temper tantrum” after a recent shutdown meeting. In a tweet Thursday, the president said “cryin’ Chuck” told his favorite lie when he said the president slammed the table before walking out of talks Wednesday.
President Trump refuted the statement by saying he politely said “bye bye” and left after Schumer and Nancy Pelosi said no to “proper border security.”
Cryin Chuck told his favorite lie when he used his standard sound bite that I “slammed the table & walked out of the room. He had a temper tantrum.” Because I knew he would say that, and after Nancy said no to proper Border Security, I politely said bye-bye and left, no slamming!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2019
The president said Wednesday’s talks were a “total waste of time” after Democrats again rejected his call for a southern border wall.