The Latest: Trump poised to wield veto pen over border order

WASHINGTON — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s declaration of an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border (all times local):

12:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump is poised to issue the first veto of his presidency after a dozen defecting Republicans joined Senate Democrats to block the national emergency he’d declared at the border. That declaration was an effort to circumvent Congress to secure more money for his southern border wall.

The bill was hand-delivered to the White House around 5:30 p.m. Thursday evening. And Trump made clear how he plans to respond, tweeted the word “VETO!” in all-caps moments after Thursday’s vote.

White House spokeswoman Mercedes Schlapp would not say when the veto would happen, but told reporters Friday Trump is “doing what he believes is his constitutional duty, which is to protect the American people.”

She also says the president “is incredibly disappointed” with Republicans who voted against him.

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12:38 a.m.

A dozen defecting Republicans joined Senate Democrats to block the national emergency that President Donald Trump declared so he could build his border wall with Mexico. The rejection capped a week of confrontation with the White House as both parties in Congress strained to exert their power in new ways.

The 59-41 tally Thursday, following the Senate’s vote a day earlier to end U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen, promised to force Trump into the first vetoes of his presidency. Trump had warned against both actions. Moments after Thursday’s vote, the president tweeted a single word of warning: “VETO!”

Two years into the Trump era, a defecting dozen Republicans, pushed along by Democrats, showed a willingness to take that political risk.

The Associated Press

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