US President Donald Trump is expected to declare a state of national emergency, which would allow him to order the army to begin construction of a wall on the southern border with Mexico, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced. His decision comes after the Congress could not agree to give the President several billion dollars for wall construction as part of the budget bill.

The Republican led Senate agreed on appropriate only 1.37 billion dollars for a “border fence”, far short of the President’s request for 5.7 billion.

Trump is prepared to sign the bill and will also declare a national emergency, McConnell said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is from the Democratic Party, condemned the expected move.

First of all it’s not a national emergency, it is a humanitarian challenge to us. The president is making an end run around Congress, Pelosi said.

Trump was elected on the basis of his promise to build a wall, but was unable to get leaders in Congress to provide the funding. His offer to sign the budget bill should keep the federal Government open and avoid a new shutdown, while his expected order to the army to build the wall will likely face judicial challenges.