President calls wall talks “a waste of time”President Trump said on Thursday that he had all but given up negotiating with Congress to fund a wall on the southwestern border, suggesting that he planned to declare a national emergency to build it instead. Here are five takeaways from the interview, and excerpts from the conversation. Fact check: We assessed the president’s statements about trade, the military and the flow of drugs at the border with Mexico. Background: The interview was arranged after Mr. Trump invited A. G. Sulzberger, the publisher of The Times, to an off-the-record dinner. Mr. Sulzberger declined, saying he would prefer an on-the-record interview that included two Times reporters.

Source: New York Times February 01, 2019 10:37 UTC