Trump urges GOP to stay strong on emergency declaration as security officials push back

President Trump defended his plan for border security Monday, as 58 former national security officials released a formal rebuke of his national emergency declaration.

“We have a State of Emergency at our Southern Border. Border Patrol, our Military and local Law Enforcement are doing a great job, but without the Wall, which is now under major construction, you cannot have Border Security,” he tweeted. “Drugs, Gangs and Human Trafficking must be stopped!”

The Washington Post first reported Sunday night that the group of former security officials who served under both Republican and Democratic administrations were going to counter the president’s argument that a national emergency exists and submit the letter to the Congressional Record.

“Under no plausible assessment of the evidence is there a national emergency today that entitles the president to tap into funds appropriated for other purposes to build a wall at the southern border,” the group wrote.

Mr. Trump made the decision to declare a national emergency to access additional funds to build portions of his border wall after the congressional compromise reached earlier this month allocated him $1.375 billion — a fraction of the $5.7 billion he request — for border fencing.