The US Senate has passed a resolution aimed at ending the national emergency at the US border with Mexico, declared by president Donal Trump on 15 February after Congress refused to allocate the $5.7 billion he requested for border security. The chamber voted 59-41 for the bill.
Moments after the measure passed, US President Donald Trump tweeted, "VETO!" However, Trump's pending rejection could still be overturned by two-thirds of the House and Senate. He followed it up with an explanation.
The bill was sent to the chamber after in February the US House of Representatives voted 245 to 182 to revoke the emergency declaration.
READ MORE: US House Passes Resolution Nullifying Trump's National Emergency
Explaining his decision to declare a national emergency, Trump said he could appropriate funds for the wall's construction, a long-sought objective of the president. The Trump administration aims to divert military funding to install 234 miles' worth of steel barriers along the country's 1,950-mile border with Mexico.