Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah think Republicans might rue Trump's 'insane' border emergency declaration
Instead of $5.7 billion for a concrete border wall, President Trump is getting $1.375 billion for non-wall fencing in a spending bill Congress sent him Thursday evening. "The border wall: It's now official — neither Mexico nor Congress will pay for it," Trevor Noah said on Thursday's Daily Show. "So, like many of you after Valentine's Day, Trump is turning to Plan B. ... That's right, people. President Trump is finally declaring a national emergency at the border. Which is weird, because normally in an emergency, you don't spend months debating whether or not something is an emergency. Like, it's normally pretty clear."
"Now a lot of people are saying that this could backfire on Republicans," Noah said. "Because it sets a precedent: The next president can come in and declare a national emergency on anything: Climate change or gun violence — and that's if it's a Democrat. I mean, what if Mike Pence becomes president?" And yes, he had a hypothetical scenario for that, too.
Less than $1.4 billion for border fencing is "a serious walk-back" for Trump, Stephen Colbert said at The Late Show, also using a Valentine's Day analogy: "Honey, I know you wanted a diamond engagement ring, but what about this candy necklace that says 'Hot and Horny'?"
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Trump will still sign the bill, Colbert said, but declaring a national emergency, "of course, would be insane. It would be usurping Congress' power, there would be immediate court challenges, many in his own party say it would set a terrible precedent of unconstitutional overreach by the executive branch." And Republicans aren't the only ones who object, he said. "Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was none too pleased, and she had a warning for the future," about what "a president with different values" could do with these powers — "or a president with any values," Colbert said wistfully. "I think about that all the time." Watch below. Peter Weber
