He's going to sign the defense bill

And here's why...

"In the event that President Trump does elect to veto this bipartisan bill, it appears the House may choose to return after the holidays to set up a vote to consider the veto. ... In the event that the president has vetoed the bill, and the House has voted to override the veto, the Senate would have the opportunity to process a veto override at that time," McConnell [said].

[...]

Trump has issued eight vetoes during his tenure, none of which have been successfully overridden.

[...]

Congress has until noon on Jan. 3 to override the veto. If Congress fails to override the veto by then, lawmakers would need to start from scratch on the bill, and it would be the first time in 60 years the bill does not become law.

[...]

“I will Veto the Defense Bill, which will make China very unhappy,” Trump tweeted last Thursday. “They love it. Must have Section 230 termination, protect our National Monuments and allow for removal of military from far away, and very unappreciative, lands. Thank you!”

He'll just act like he never said that. He's flip-flopped countless times in his tenure. No big deal.

The defense bill passed both chambers with veto-proof majorities and top GOP senators had indicated that there was backchanneling underway to try to get Trump to back down from his veto threat. He has until Wednesday to veto the bill.

  The Hill

He won't want the final bill he signs to be vetoed. He can't take being booted from office and vetoed all at the same time. He'll sign it.

It's what he'll do in January that should worry us.

UPDATE:

Members of the United States Congress criticised President Donald Trump's veto of a resolution that would have ended US military support for the Saudi-UAE war in Yemen, calling it a "missed opportunity".

[...]

"This resolution is an unnecessary, dangerous attempt to weaken my constitutional authorities, endangering the lives of American citizens and brave service members, both today and in the future," Trump said in a statement.

[...]

"From a president elected on the promise of putting a stop to our endless wars, this veto is a painful missed opportunity," said Democrat Ro Khanna, who was the lead sponsor of the bill in the US House of Representatives.

"This resolution nonetheless was a major win," Khanna said in a statement. "It sends a clear signal to the Saudis that they need to lift their blockade and allow humanitarian assistance into Yemen if they care about their relationship with Congress."

  alJazeera

Ro, they don't. They've got Jared and His Lardship in their pocket. If those two can't hang on to the leadership of the US, the  Saudis will make nice with whomever gets it next.

The Yemen War Powers Resolution was a bipartisan effort to promote an end to the world's largest humanitarian crisis, Khanna said.

The bill was supported by Democrats and some of the president's Republican allies in Congress, including Senator Rand Paul and Representative Mark Meadows, among others.

Which brings me to my next point: If Congress were something to be feared by the Saudis, Congress would override Trump's veto. It won't.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

House doesn't override Trump emergency veto

The House failed Tuesday to override the first veto of President Trump's tenure, a vote led by Democrats seeking to uphold a measure unwinding the president's national emergency declaration at the southern border.

The chamber voted 248-181 to override the veto, falling short of the roughly 290 votes, or two-thirds majority, needed. Trump issued the veto earlier this month to push back on a rebuke from Congress over his bid to reallocate Pentagon funding to build a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border.

  The Hill

The Department of Defense is shifting $1 billion from a military personnel account to build a 57-mile fence at the southern U.S. border, saying the funds were freed up after some service branches fell short of their recruiting goals.

[...]

"Military construction on the border will not come at the expense of our people, our readiness, or our modernization," [Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M.] Shanahan told the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

[...]

"Given a legal order from the commander in chief, we are executing on that order," Shanahan replied. He added that the Pentagon was aware that there were "downsides, which will hamper us" — including likely losing what he called the privilege of reprogramming funds.

[...]

But in response, Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., said the move would likely compel Congress to strip the Pentagon of the authority to "reprogram" funds that have been appropriated for specific purposes and programs. That authority is currently provided only in cases where the Pentagon consults with Congress before acting. But in this case, Smith noted, the Defense Department did not ask permission.

[...]

Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, said that while the committee's members might disagree on border and immigration policies, "We have bipartisan support for the fact that our military budget should not be cannibalized for our border security needs."

  NPR

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

He's sending out emails

George Conway is on his list.

Also...

He's fundraising on his first veto!

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Proud Boys

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Here come the tweets

How long before he talks shit about the ones who didn't?
...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Surprising Senate vote

Earlier today...








Sure you will.  Sure you will.




Moments ago...

The Senate passed a resolution Thursday to overturn President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, with 12 Republicans joining all Democrats to deliver a bipartisan rebuke to the president.

[...]

[T]he Senate vote stood as a rare instance of Republicans breaking with Trump in significant numbers on an issue central to his presidency — the construction of a wall along the southern border.

  WaPo

I am surprised. Pleasantly. Twelve Republicans were concerned about their reputations with their constituents.

[F]or many GOP lawmakers, it was about a bigger issue: The Constitution itself, which grants Congress — not the president -- control over government spending.

[...]

In the end only one Republican who is up for re-election next year — Susan Collins (R-Maine) — voted for the disapproval resolution.

She finally found her spine!

GOP senators voting for the disapproval resolution were: Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Roy Blunt (Mo.), [Susan Collins (Maine),] Mike Lee (Utah), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rand Paul (Ky.), [Rob Portman (Ohio),] Mitt Romney (Utah), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Patrick J. Toomey (Pa.), and Roger F. Wicker (Miss.).

[...]

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), another senator up for re-election in a politically divided state, had announced last month that he would vote for the disapproval resolution. He wrote an opinion piece in The Washington Post at the time arguing there would be “no intellectual honesty” in supporting executive overreach by Trump that he had [opposed] under former President Barack Obama.

But on Thursday Tillis flipped and cast his vote with the president, saying he was reassured by indications that Trump would support changes to the National Emergencies Act itself, to rein in presidential powers going forward.

Biggest pile of bullshit this week. LOL.  What indications?  That obvious tweet?

Trump repeatedly shot down the GOP’s attempts at dealmaking, calling Lee during a private GOP lunch Wednesday to reject a proposal to curtail presidential powers under the National Emergencies Act.

Shortly after that, Lee announced he would be voting for the disapproval resolution.

But Tillis thought Trump would support changes to rein in presidential powers??? He didn't. He was either bought off or scared off.  Intellectual honesty, indeed.

McConnell argued that Trump was acting well within his powers and consistently with previous invocations of the National Emergencies Act.

“Let’s not lose sight of the particular question that’s before us later today, whether the facts tell us there’s truly a humanitarian and security crisis on our Southern border and whether the Senate, for some reason, feels this particular emergency on our own border does not rise to the other national emergencies current in effect,” McConnell said.

Sit down and shut up, Mitch.

And what was Trump's response?



I hope that pisses enough of them off that they override his veto.

Or maybe the nasty names he'll no doubt be hurling at the ones who voted against his wishes will do it.

 ...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.