GOP congressman ominously warns Trump not to declare a national emergency over the wall
As President Trump continues to float the idea of declaring a national emergency to secure wall funding, one member of his party is publicly warning him to steer clear.
Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) spoke with CNN's Don Lemon after Trump's address Tuesday night and said that "we didn't see anything new" in the speech, but there was one "bright spot" in his eyes. That, he said, was the fact that Trump didn't declare a national emergency in an attempt to fund the wall without Congress, as some had expected him to do.
"Had he done that, it would have been a gross abuse of power," Hurd said, Mediaite reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Hurd will likely be distressed to learn, then, that Trump is still considering the option, with White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying Wednesday it remains "on the table." But Hurd isn't the only member of the party who fears Trump will take this step, as a number of other congressional Republicans expressed opposition to a national emergency declaration Tuesday, The Washington Post writes. CNN's Manu Raju reports that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday declined twice to say whether he thinks it's a good idea.
Watch Hurd's comments on CNN below. Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
2024: the year of legacy media failures
In the Spotlight From election criticism to continued layoffs, the media has had it tough in 2024
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Marty Makary: the medical contrarian who will lead the FDA
In the Spotlight What Johns Hopkins surgeon and commentator Marty Makary will bring to the FDA
By David Faris Published
-
4 tips for navigating holiday season stress
The Week Recommends Balancing pressure and enjoying the holidays can indeed coexist
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published