Trump vetoes bill blocking national emergency declaration

President Donald Trump issued the first veto of his presidency on Friday to block a measure passed by Democrats and Republicans in Congress that would terminate his emergency declaration for a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico.

The bill passed the Senate by a margin of 59-41 with 12 Republicans joining Senate Democrats in a rare rebuke of the president.

Twelve Republicans joined Democrats in the Senate to pass the measure, concerned that the president had overstepped his authority.

Trump repeated his view that a crisis existed at the border, called the resolution reckless and said he was proud to veto it.

“As president, the protection of the nation is my highest duty. Yesterday, Congress passed a dangerous resolution that if signed into law would put countless Americans in danger, very grave danger,” he said, sitting behind his desk in the Oval Office. “Congress has the freedom to pass this resolution, and I have the duty to veto it.”

The White House had lobbied heavily for Republicans to back Trump, despite concerns among some about executive overreach and precedent-setting action that a future Democratic president could copy on policies that Republicans oppose. The president, without acknowledging that lobbying, said he had sympathy for those who defied him, adding they did what they had to do.

On 15 February Trump invoked the National Emergencies Act of 1976, claiming there was a crisis on the border that required the construction of walls to protect the United States.

Trump declared the national emergency after signing a government funding agreement that did not include the money he requested to build a wall. His signature ended a 35-day partial shutdown of the federal government, which had been triggered by a showdown after Congress refused to appropriate the $5.7bn he requested to start construction at the border. But the compromise reached on funding only included $1.37bn for “barriers” on the border, not a wall, and totalling far less than Trump wanted.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr said the president’s emergency declaration was legal.

It is being challenged in court as an unconstitutional usurpation of Congress’ power of the purse.

Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi said her chamber would vote on March 26 to override the veto.

“The House and Senate resoundingly rejected the president’s lawless power grab, yet the president has chosen to continue to defy the Constitution, the Congress and the will of the American people,” she said in a statement.