Former Secretary of State John Kerry John Forbes KerryThe Memo: Warning signs flash for Trump on debates Divided country, divided church TV ads favored Biden 2-1 in past month MORE on Friday urged President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE to declare a national emergency over the issue of climate change instead of what he called a "fictional" crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The former Obama administration official criticized Trump while commenting on a New York Times article about how ocean temperatures are rising faster than was previously known.

"Instead of declaring a national emergency to address a fictional emergency – @realDonaldTrump needs to stop denying a real one: climate change," Kerry tweeted.

Instead of declaring a national emergency to address a fictional emergency – @realDonaldTrump needs to stop denying a real one: climate change. https://t.co/UYaG1mohwG — John Kerry (@JohnKerry) January 11, 2019

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His remarks came just hours after The Wall Street Journal's editorial board warned Republicans against supporting Trump's reported plan to declare a national emergency in order to allocate funding for construction of a border wall, arguing that Democrats would later use the precedent set by Trump.

"If Mr. Trump did win in court, a President Elizabeth Warren might take the precedent as license to circumvent Congress whenever it is politically expedient," the editorial board wrote. "Rising carbon emissions or even income inequality could be declared national emergencies."

Trump this week visited the U.S.-Mexico border, where he reiterated his demand for constructing a wall to address issues such as illegal migration and the importation of illegal drugs, which primarily occur at legal ports of entry.

A partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22 is now in its 21st day as Trump and congressional Democrats remain at an impasse over funding for the president's proposed wall.