Define 'Emergency'

National emergency declarations are routine. President Trump's is different. [NPR Politics]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [President Trump]( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The Big Picture: None Like Trump When President Trump [declared a national emergency]( on the Southern border on Friday, he claimed the move was routine — even as he acknowledged that the administration [expected to face legal challenges](. "There's rarely been a problem," Trump said of the dozens of emergency declarations signed by past presidents. "They sign it. Nobody cares. I guess they weren't very exciting." Critics say Trump's declaration is categorically different, in that the president is using his power to fund a border wall far bigger and more expensive than Congress was willing to pay for. — Scott Horsley, NPR White House correspondent [Read the full story]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Andrew McCabe]( Amr Alfiky/NPR ICYMI: Top Stories 2020 update: Former Attorney General Eric Holder traveled to Iowa for a major speech this week, and NPR has learned [he’s expected to make a decision]( in the next two weeks on whether he will run for president in 2020. Meanwhile, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld said he’s [considering challenging]( President Trump for the 2020 Republican nomination. “Socialism” vs. “greatness”: President Trump is wading into the 2020 general election with [a distinction he hopes to make]( between himself and his eventual Democratic challenger. As NPR’s Domenico Montanaro and Mara Liasson write, Trump’s denunciation of “socialism” is Trump's and his campaign's attempt to invert the argument that he is an extremist — and to survive his sluggish poll numbers. Manafort lied, judge decides: A federal judge this week ruled that former Trump campaign chairman [Paul Manafort intentionally lied]( to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigators. As NPR’s Carrie Johnson and Jessica Taylor report, the ruling means prosecutors are no longer bound by their plea deal with Manafort, who now faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison. New attorney general: William Barr, President Trump’s nominee for attorney general, [was confirmed to the position]( this week by a 54-45 vote in the Senate. As NPR’s Philip Ewing reports, Barr returns to the post he first occupied during the administration of former President George H.W. Bush. McCabe’s Threat: Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe’s [portrait of the Trump administration]( — and of the president — is as alarming as any we've seen so far, writes NPR's Ron Elving in his review of The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump. In the book, McCabe calls Trump “a deliberate liar who will say whatever he pleases to get whatever he wants.” — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- [Asma Khalid and Scott Detrow]( Scott Detrow/NPR via Instagram Let Me Take A Selfie #2020 NPR's [Asma Khalid]( and [Scott Detrow]( are covering 2020 presidential candidates — and documenting their adventures on Instagram. Here they are in January at Sen. Kamala Harris' announcement. [Follow NPR Politics on Instagram]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( You received this message because you're subscribed to our Politics emails. | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002 [NPR]