BORDER/CONGRESS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WALL: “President Donald Trump met his day of defeat with a list of grievances. He lashed out at Congress for denying him the money to build a border wall. He called his Democratic rivals liars. He blasted former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan for inaction when the GOP controlled Congress. And, of course, he criticized the media for alleged bias and indifference to a ‘crisis’ on the U.S.-Mexico border. In short, Trump blamed almost everyone but himself as he formally announced he was going around Congress to direct more than $6 billion to construct or repair as many as 234 miles of a border barrier…Trump’s state of emergency declaration — which is certain to trigger vigorous legal challenges — comes after he came up far short on the $5.7 billion demand that has defined his presidency for months and led to a 35-day government shutdown that even many annoyed Republicans blamed on the president. Instead, Trump reluctantly agreed to sign a massive spending deal that included just $1.375 billion for border security Friday, averting another government shutdown.”
–Anita Kumar and Caitlin Opryskp, “Frustrated Trump lashes out after border defeat,” Politico, February 15, 2019 4:28 pm