Trump Vows 'US Military Will Build the Wall' Amid Gridlock in Congress
President promises American people border wall will be built, despite resistance
© press
Amid total gridlock in Congress, and the president's demand for $5 billion to build the wall along the Southern Border seemingly unlikely to win approval, Trump has renewed his vow that the US military will construct the barrier.
With the likelihood of Congress agreeing to fund the wall slowly diminishing, President Trump has promised the American people that he will make sure their wall is completed, no matter what.
Trump's vow follows reports that he is being forced into withdrawing his demand for wall funding from Congress as lawmakers are gridlocked on a budget to keep the government up and running.
As he runs out of options, the president has turned back to the military, which was a strategy he first proposed earlier this month.
© press
According to the Daily Wire, Trump also declared that Mexico will be paying for the new wall "indirectly," as he claims a new North America trade agreement with America's two neighbors will generate enough revenue for construction.
"Mexico is paying (indirectly) for the Wall through the new USMCA, the replacement for NAFTA!" Trump wrote on Twitter, referring to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
"Far more money coming to the U.S. Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall!"
Mexico is paying (indirectly) for the Wall through the new USMCA, the replacement for NAFTA! Far more money coming to the U.S. Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018
Trump also vowed that "one way or another, we will win on the Wall!"
"In our Country, so much money has been poured down the drain, for so many years, but when it comes to Border Security and the Military, the Democrats fight to the death. We won on the Military, which is being completely rebuilt. One way or the other, we will win on the Wall!" he wrote.
In our Country, so much money has been poured down the drain, for so many years, but when it comes to Border Security and the Military, the Democrats fight to the death. We won on the Military, which is being completely rebuilt. One way or the other, we will win on the Wall!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018
On December 11, Trump vowed that if Congress wouldn't fund the wall, he'd turn to the U.S. military.
“People do not yet realize how much of the Wall, including really effective renovation, has already been built,” he wrote.
"If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is!”
....People do not yet realize how much of the Wall, including really effective renovation, has already been built. If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018
After his December 11 statement, though, Pentagon spokesman Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis said, "to date, there is no plan to build sections of the wall."
"However, Congress has provided options under Title 10 U.S. Code that could permit the Defense Department to fund border barrier projects, such as in support of counter drug operations or national emergencies," Davis said.
© press
For their part, soon-to-be House Speaker Rep. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer remained divisive, preemptively blaming Republicans for a government shutdown.
"Republicans still control the House, the Senate and the White House, and they have the power to keep government open," they said in a joint statement.
"Our country cannot afford a Trump Shutdown," the Democrats said, adding that Trump "knows full well that his wall proposal does not have the votes to pass the House and Senate and should not be an obstacle to a bipartisan agreement."
