US Senate rebukes Trump on wall

By AAP Newswire

The US Senate has rebuked President Donald Trump by voting to end his border emergency declaration, as 12 Republicans joined Democrats to deliver a second blow to the president, who quickly pledged a veto.

The 59-41 vote was a bipartisan repudiation of Trump's decision to circumvent Congress and take money already designated for other programs and redirect it to pay for his US-Mexico border wall, which he promised to build during his 2016 campaign.



"VETO!" he tweeted shortly after the vote.


On Wednesday, senators approved a resolution seeking to end US support for a Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, rejecting Trump's policy toward the kingdom.

"Today's votes cap a week of something the American people haven't seen enough of in the last two years," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told reporters. "My hope is that this past week isn't an aberration, but a turning point."

A House of Representatives leadership aide said there would likely be a vote to attempt to override Trump's promised veto on March 26 after lawmakers return from a one-week recess.


The issue could ultimately be decided by the courts.


His drive for billions of dollars to build a US-Mexico border wall - one that he initially promised Mexico would pay for - has placed a wedge between him and Congress, including many Republicans who are uncomfortable even talking about a "wall."


At stake are billions of dollars in funding for barriers along the US-Mexico border that Trump is demanding but Congress has refused to fully provide. The stalemate led to a 35-day partial government shutdown that ended in January.

Under the emergency declaration he signed on February 15, Trump would take money from other federal programs to build the barrier, which he says is needed to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
