Trump declared a national emergency on cybersecurity. What are his other emergencies?

Nicholas Wu
Updated

WASHINGTON — Last Wednesday, President Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency relating to securing the nation's cybersecurity supply chain. Under the order's provisions, the U.S. government will be able to ban any technologies that could be deemed a national security threat.

The order, "Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Supply Chain," opened the door for the government to classify companies like Chinese telecom giant Huawei as a national security threat and ban the company's technology from the United States. The company has come under increased scrutiny from American officials for its close ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

The order marks the fifth national emergency declaration for Trump since he became president and the 33rd national emergency currently in effect.

Cybersecurity national emergency: President Trump signs executive order potentially banning Huawei equipment

The National Emergencies Act gives the president the power to declare national emergencies and use special emergency powers. Congress can overrule a national emergency through legislation that must pass both the House and Senate.

What are Trump's four other national emergency declarations?

"Blocking the Property of Persons Involved in Serious Human Rights Abuse or Corruption" (December 20, 2017)

This declaration allowed President Trump to impose sanctions on Myanmar because of human rights abuses committed against the country's Rohingya ethnic minority.

"Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election" (September 12, 2018)

This declaration gave the president the ability to levy automatic sanctions in the event a foreign power interfered in American elections. This order, signed in September 2018, followed reports of Russian interference and hacking in the 2016 elections.

"Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Nicaragua" (November 27, 2018)

This declaration allowed for sanctions to be placed on officials involved in human rights abuses or corruption in Nicaragua.

Migrants walk while being detained by Border Patrol after crossing to the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border barrier on May 17, 2019 in El Paso, Texas.
Migrants walk while being detained by Border Patrol after crossing to the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border barrier on May 17, 2019 in El Paso, Texas.

"Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States" (February 15, 2019)

After failing to include funding for a border wall in the budget, Trump attempted to use this order to shift other funds to construct a wall along the southern border of the United States, one of his signature campaign promises. This order attempted to move $8 billion from other agencies into wall construction. Congress attempted to terminate this declaration, and some congressional Republicans crossed party lines to vote with all Democrats to pass legislation to terminate it. President Trump then vetoed the legislation, in the first veto of his presidency.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump declared a national emergency on cybersecurity. What are his other emergencies?