Trump says he may decide on national emergency 'over the next few days'

President Trump doubled down on his remarks about potentially declaring a national emergency over border security.

In a tweet Sunday morning, ABC White House Correspondent Tara Palmeri quoted Trump as saying about the ongoing government shutdown: “I may decide a national emergency depending on what happens over the next few days.”

The president had previously admitted to considering using his emergency powers to build a border wall without congressional approval during a press briefing Friday.

During a Q&A with reporters, he said, in part: “I can do it if I want….absolutely, we can call a national emergency because of the security of our country. Absolutely. No, we can do it. I haven’t done it. I may do it. I may do it. But we can call a national emergency and build it very quickly. And it’s another way of doing it. But if we can do it through a negotiated process, we’re giving that a shot.”

And when someone asked if that was a threat to Democrats, Trump stated: “I never threaten anybody. But I am allowed to do that, yes.”

The $5.6 billion he wants for a border wall is at the center of the partial government shutdown which is stretching into the third week.

Despite Trump’s assertions, Yale law professor Bruce Ackerman argued in a New York Times’ op-ed Saturday that declaring a national emergency to use military funds for the wall would be illegal and any service members involved would be “committing a federal crime.”