Trump: I'll declare emergency if no deal on wall
Shortly after he announced a deal with Democrats to reopen the government for three weeks while negotiators try to reach a deal to end the longest shutdown in U.S. history, Trump reiterated his case for a border wall and suggested he will declare a national emergency to build the wall if he has to.
Speaking to reporters at the White House moments after his Rose Garden appearance, Trump said he thinks there is a "good chance" that he and Democrats will be able to reach a deal on a long term spending plan in the next few weeks that will allow the government to remain open.
But he underscored that if that doesn't happen, "we're gonna do the emergency because that's what it is, it's a national emergency."
Declaring a national emergency would allow Trump to bypass Congress and use existing money to start building the wall.
Trump previously floated the idea of declaring a national emergency. But he held off, saying he wanted to pursue a deal with Congress.