The Trump administration will divert $3.6 billion from the Pentagon to fund the border wall and the Democrats are furious.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called Trump’s move to divert funds from military projects to pay for the border wall a “slap in the face” and said the move will “harm already planned, important projects” intended for military construction.
“The president is trying to usurp Congress’s exclusive power of the purse and loot vital funds from our military. Robbing the Defense Department of much- needed funds is an affront to our service members and Congress will strongly oppose any funds for new wall construction,” Schumer added.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper called congressional leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), on Tuesday to inform them of the decision to reprogram the money away from military construction projects and to the border.
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on Tuesday that Pentagon Secretary Mark Esper had called him and other congressional leaders to notify them of the decision to reprogram the money.
“Earlier today Defense Secretary Mark Esper notified me that the Department of Defense will reprogram $3.6 billion in funds appropriated for military construction and maintenance, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, in order to build the president’s misguided border wall,” Schumer said.
The Supreme Court handed Trump a huge win in July and ruled that the Trump Administration can use approximately $2.5 billion in Pentagon funds to build the border wall.
President Trump declared a national emergency in February in order to divert Pentagon funds to build the border wall.
Several lawsuits were filed following Trump’s declaration and Congress even tried stopping the president.
The Justice Department took the request all the way up to the Supreme Court and argued that Trump has the authority to transfer funds from the Pentagon.
Via GatewayPundit
