President Trump Declares National Emergency to Fund Border Wall

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President Donald Trump on Friday took executive action—declaring a national emergency—to spend $8 billion for the border wall he has promised since his campaign.

"We're going to confront the national security crisis on our southern border … one way or the other, we have to do it," Trump said in the Rose Garden on Friday.

"Walls work," the president said.

Democrats swiftly said they would challenge the president's declaration of a national emergency in court,  Fox News  reports.

"The President’s declaration of a national emergency would be an abuse of his constitutional oath and an affront to the separation of powers. Congress has the exclusive power of the purse, and the Constitution specifically prohibits the President from spending money that has not been appropriated. ... This is a gross abuse of power that cannot be tolerated," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said in a written statement.