Outcry from Democrats on Capitol Hill and some key U. S. defense officials mounted Monday over the prospect that President Trump ’s emergency declaration will…
Outcry from Democrats on Capitol Hill and some key U. S. defense officials mounted Monday over the prospect that President Trump ’s emergency declaration will result in a raiding of certain Pentagon coffers to finance the construction of a border wall.
Former vice presidential candidate and Senate Armed Services Committee member Sen. Tim Kaine slammed Mr. Trump, claiming the president is pursuing a “vanity project” in a fashion bound to hurt U. S. forces and their families.
“The president is taking money away from troops and their families to fund his vanity project,” the Virginia Democrat told The Washington Times. “Diverting nearly one-third of the military’s construction money for the entire year to fund a wall — when we have significant military construction needs — is a big mistake.”
The Trump administration declared a national emergency on the southern border on Friday, announcing plans to draw money from military construction programs to fund a border wall. Mr. Trump said he will draw $3.6 billion from Pentagon accounts — an approach that requires a national emergency declaration — on top of some $6.5 billion of unspent federal funds to pay for the wall.
The White House is also moving $2.5 billion from military counter-narcotics programs, and $600 million from a Treasury Department forfeiture program that collects money from drug lords and other criminals.
Mr. Trump ’s announcement was met with stark opposition from Democratic lawmakers, who challenged the president over whether there is, in fact, a national emergency.
