Washington (CNN) South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham issued a statement Thursday calling for President Donald Trump to invoke national emergency powers to fund his border wall.

"Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi's refusal to negotiate on funding for a border wall/barrier -- even if the government were to be reopened -- virtually ends the congressional path to funding for a border wall/barrier," Graham said in a statement. "It is time for President Trump to use emergency powers to fund the construction of a border wall/barrier."

The statement from the key Trump ally came shortly after Graham said efforts to forge a deal with congressional Democrats had fallen flat.

GOP senators gathered in Graham's office a day prior to discuss a deal that would bring an end to the ongoing government shutdown while securing money for Trump's proposed border with Mexico.

Trump has repeatedly floated funding his wall by declaring a national emergency. On Thursday, he reaffirmed his position a day after walking out on Democrats at a White House meeting to resolve their impasse over his wall.

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