Since he first mentioned it in 2015, Donald Trump’s plan for a proposed border wall that Mexico would pay for has been dubious. The message was in response to media reports Thursday that his aides have told congressional Republicans that the incoming administration will push to use the appropriations process to pay for the project.
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Messer, R-Shelbyville, a member of the House GOP leadership, told reporters that lawmakers could include funding for the wall in the spending bill Congress will need to pass by the end of April to keep the government running.
The law in question, which was signed by George W Bush, authorized a more than 700-mile “physical barrier” between the USA and Mexico. Trump supporters, on the other hand, wholeheartedly bought the idea, and “Build the wall” became a mandatory chant at Trump rallies. That’s when he said he’d build the wall and Mexico would repay us later.
Such reimbursement would likely come from a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico, Trump suggested.
Ford also announced the cancellation of a A$2.1 billion new factory in the northern state of San Luis Potosi, which had been criticised by Mr Trump, though the company said the decision was business-related. “And Mexico will pay for the wall”.
In his early-morning tweet, Trump claims that taxpayer money used to build the wall is a short-term loan, which the Mexican government will be happy to reimburse. Or, I guess, we can just get prison labor to build the wall in order to save some money.
A report in Politico observed that even before the election Trump had discussed having the United States pay for the wall initially and then getting the money back from Mexico afterwards. Because the law never had an expiration date as to when it had to be put into effect (called a “sunset clause” in government), the GOP is trying to use it now.
Mexico’s president Enrique Pena Nieto and senior officials have said that they will not pay for the wall, despite Trump’s campaign pledge. Now come signals from Trump’s transition team that Congress will fund the wall, though this switcheroo comes with vague assurances that the US will “get it back”.
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In a 2006 speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, Mrs. Clinton said: “There isn’t any sensible approach except to do what we need to do simultaneously: you know, secure our borders with technology and personnel, physical barriers if necessary in some places”.
