The Senate voted along party lines on Tuesday to again reject President Trump’s executive action to declare a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. The vote was 55 to 43 and fell short of the 60 votes needed to block Trump from blocking any future Senate action against the wall.
The 67 to 31 defeat is the second time this year that the Senate has failed to stop Trump’s efforts to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Previously, in February, the chamber failed by a 50 to 49 vote.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday morning that all Senate Democrats had agreed to vote in favor of blocking Trump from blocking future Senate action on the wall.
Trump was most upset with the defeat.
Don’t be surprised if the Dems use the “Nuclear Option” to pass their outlandish and dangerous Border Security and Immigration measures in the Senate, even though the Republicans will most likely block it in the House. Dems have doubled down on obstruction and are not doing anything to solve the Shutdown. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2018
Speaking to reporters after the vote, he told reporters that Democrats were “being dishonest” about his efforts to construct a border wall.
The prime minister of Mexico, @Enrique_MExposito, called Pres. Trump earlier today. From Mexico, he had the following message for our friends in the U.S. and the leadership of the Democrat Party, “We stand ready to help in any way that is necessary to protect the United States of America, as well as the integrity of the North American Free Trade Agreement.”https://t.co/7j9eRo8lYZ — Luis Videgaray (@LUISVIDEGUARDARO) September 25, 2018
What is their strategy here? To drive the border/law enforcement budget down. — Jim Rutenberg (@jimrutenberg) September 25, 2018
“I just want to say that I don’t think I get much support from our community here,” Trump said Tuesday morning, as he walked toward the Oval Office.
But Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said that she expected the president to accept the rebuke from Congress in a tweet Tuesday afternoon.
Strasberg on House conservatives who just block this wall approval, telling WH reporters, “We haven’t talked to the president yet so don’t draw any more conclusions…The president’s decision won’t be left up to Congress.” — Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) September 25, 2018
It is not yet clear whether Trump will declare a third national emergency, which will enable him to draw funds from a separate federal spending bill with which he is currently tangled in a battle with Congress over spending the government. He would then bypass Congress and use his emergency powers to build a wall. In the meantime, Congress will proceed to debate the government funding package that includes the $5.7 billion Trump has asked for to build the wall.