Trump expects to lose Senate vote, use veto on wall emergency

President Trump acknowledged his likely defeat in the Senate Thursday on a resolution overturning his border emergency border declaration and said he expects to use his veto.

Mr. Trump had been pleading with lawmakers to back him on the vote, but has fallen short, with more than enough Republicans saying they’ll side with Democrats to try to block his decision. Still, he’s expected to earn enough backing to sustain his veto.

“I’ll probably have to veto,” he said.

Mr. Trump last month signed a spending bill that includes $1.375 billion in border wall money approved by Congress. He then issued a declaration calling the border situation an emergency, triggering powers under the National Emergencies Act to shift money around.

He directed the Treasury Department to shift $601 million from a forfeiture fund to wall-building, then ordered the Pentagon to tap as much as $2.5 billion in drug interdiction money and up to $3.6 billion in military construction money.

On Capitol Hill, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told senators Thursday he still doesn’t have a “final” list of what projects will have to be postponed to meet the emergency declaration, but he promised to send up a list of what’s not been ruled out.

“I would like that list today,” said Sen. Jack Reed, Rhode Island Democrat. “We’ll have that list so everyone will know what project they have to worry about going forward.”

During the intense questioning, officials said they aren’t canceling any construction projects. But he acknowledged some projects Congress has appropriated money for which are expected to get a start within five years won’t begin construction this year if money is shifted.

It’s also not clear whether the Pentagon will actually shift the full $3.6 billion Mr. Trump suggested.

Acting Deputy Secretary David L. Norquist, the Pentagon’s comptroller, said he’s still waiting to hear from Mr. Shanahan how much money he’ll ask for.

“I don’t know that the secretary’s decision will be $3.6 billion,” Mr. Norquist said.