Small Wars Journal

Pentagon Searching for Projects it Could Cut or Delay if Trump Declares Emergency and Directs Military to Fund Border Wall

Fri, 01/11/2019 - 6:26am

Pentagon Searching for Projects it Could Cut or Delay if Trump Declares Emergency and Directs Military to Fund Border Wall by Paul Sonne, Missy Ryan and Greg Jaffe – Washington Post

The Pentagon is informally scouring military construction projects it could cut or delay in preparation for a possible national emergency declaration by President Trump, which could force the Defense Department to divert funds from those planned initiatives to building a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico, according to people with knowledge of the efforts.

 

Trump said Thursday he would probably declare a national emergency if he fails to break a deadlock with Democratic lawmakers over funding for the border wall, raising the prospect that the Pentagon will have to figure out how to come up with the cash.

 

“I have the absolute right to declare a national emergency,” Trump said outside the White House before departing for a visit to the border. “I haven’t done it yet. I may do it, if this doesn’t work out, probably I will do it. I would almost say definitely.”

 

The president has refused to sign any legislation to end the partial government shutdown that doesn’t include $5.7 billion for the start of construction of the wall…

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