Donald Trump spoke from the Rose Garden on Friday, where he said that he was considering declaring a national emergency to build his wall without congressional approval.

ABC News reporter Terry Moran asked Trump whether he would consider bypassing Congress in order to get his border wall.

“Have you considered using emergency powers to grant yourself authorities to build this wall without congressional approval?” Moran asked.

“Yes I have,” Trump replied. “And I can do it if I want.”

“We could call a national emergency and do it very quickly,” Trump said. “But if we can do it through a negotiated process, we’re giving it a shot.”

“Is that a threat hanging over the Democrats?” Moran asked.

“I never threaten anybody,” Trump replied. “But I am allowed to do that.”

Trump’s address came after a meeting with Democratic lawmakers over the ongoing government shutdown. The president has demanded funding for his border wall, which new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have forcefully rejected.

Trump called his meeting with Democrats “productive” before railing about violence at the border, from human trafficking, to drug trafficking, to murders committed by illegal immigrants — which he blamed on weak border security.

The president did confirm something that Schumer had said earlier in the day, that Trump mentioned the government could be shut down for months or even years.

“I did say that. I don’t think it will, but I am prepared,” Trump said. “And I think I can speak for Republicans in the House and Republicans in the Senate––they feel very strongly about having a safe country, having a border that makes sense.”

WATCH:

Trump says he "may" grant himself emergency powers to build the wall.

"It's called a national emergency," he says. pic.twitter.com/0aWF4iDtTY

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 4, 2019