Donald Trump has used his veto pen for the first time. Both houses of Congress passed a resolution blocking his emergency declaration for border wall funding. As expected, Trump vetoed it and now the legislation returns to Capitol Hill where it will need two-thirds of lawmakers to override it. Trump reportedly said:
“Today I am vetoing this resolution…Congress has the freedom to pass this resolution and I have the duty to veto it.”
Flanked by law enforcement officials as well as the parents of children killed by people in the country illegally, Trump maintained that he is not through fighting for his signature campaign promise, which stands largely unfulfilled 18 months before voters decide whether to grant him another term. Trump said: “It is a tremendous national emergency,” adding, “our immigration system is stretched beyond the breaking point.”
At the veto signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Attorney General Bill Barr is defending the president's decision to declare a national emergency. Barr said it's "clearly consistent with the law," according to the pool.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 15, 2019
Congress will attempt to override Trump’s veto, but there are unlikely to get the 2-3’s majority they need to make it happen. Watch what Trump said above.
