In a stunning announcement on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said that President Donald Trump would not only sign the controversial budget bill, but that he would declare a national emergency at the same time.

The White House confirmed the comments from McConnell in a statement released by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

"President Trump will sign the government funding bill," the statement read, "and as he has stated before, he will also take other executive action — including a national emergency — to ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border."

"The President is once again delivering on his promise to build the wall," the statement continued, "protect the border, and secure our great country."

McConnell said that he would support the president in his decision to declare a national emergency in order to circumvent the Congress and begin construction on a border wall.

"I've indicated to him that i'm going to support the national emergency declaration," McConnell said. "So for all of my colleagues, the president will sign the bill, we will be voting on it shortly."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) indicated that she might pursue legal challenges to the declaration.

"It's not an emergency," she said, "what's happening at the border."

Some Republicans have also opposed the policy, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) who said, "I generally don't think it's a good idea."

Critics have noted that the move would open the possibility of future Democratic presidents using the declaration of national emergency

Here's more about the announcement from McConnell: