After failed senate votes, trump is reportedly reconsidering invoking emergency powers

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have started negotiating an end to the 35-day-old government shutdown, after two rival bills failed in the

Senate on Thursday, the Democratic version getting more votes. Now that the Senate has shot down President Trump's compromise offer, "White House officials aren't sure of

their next move," _Politico_ reports. "But they do know one thing: They're losing, and they want to cut a deal." Trump is reportedly eager to strike a deal, but he's

been known to change his mind. "I have other alternatives if I have to and I'll use those alternatives if I have to," he told reporters on Thursday. The White House is

preparing a national emergency proclamation for Trump to sign, with the goal of allowing him to build his border wall with $7 billion in funds the White House believes it can claim from

Pentagon, Homeland Security, and Treasury funds, CNN reports. According to the draft proclamation, which was updated as recently as last week, the "national emergency" is a

"massive amount of aliens who unlawfully enter the United States each day," CNN says, and the plan acknowledges that the White House would face lawsuits from landowners who

don't want their property seized, gives permission to skip environmental reviews, and give waivers to skirt contracting laws. "Trump's next move remained a mystery to many

West Wing aides," _Politico_ reports, but aides and GOP lawmakers say "he has all but dropped his past threats to declare a national emergency," even if "the idea is not

dead." SUBSCRIBE TO THE WEEK Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives. SUBSCRIBE & SAVE SIGN UP FOR THE WEEK'S FREE

NEWSLETTERS From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News

Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. Explore More the wall Speed Reads