Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he is not ‘thrilled’ by a border security deal reached by a bipartisan group of lawmakers but appeared to express openness to the agreement to avert another government shutdown, suggesting that he will find sources of money for his controversial border wall other than Congress.
Democrats and Republicans have struck a deal to offer USD 1.375 billion for 88.5 kilometers of new barriers along the southern border, as well as other border security measures to avert another crippling government shutdown over Trump’s wall along the US-Mexico border.
The funding offer is far less than the USD 5.7 billion Trump demanded late last year when he triggered a record partial government shutdown that lasted 35 days.
Trump said that he is looking at getting USD 23 billion for border security from various sources. “Will be getting almost USD 23 billion for Border Security. Regardless of Wall money, it is being built as we speak!” Trump tweeted as the lawmakers entered into the agreement to prevent another government shutdown after February 15.
“Was just presented the concept and parameters of the Border Security Deal by hard-working Senator Richard Shelby. Looking over all aspects knowing that this will be hooked up with lots of money from other sources….,” Trump further said, indicating that he will be bringing money for the border wall from other sources as well.
Earlier in the day, during a Cabinet meeting, Trump said the wall is being built. “We’re doing a lot of wall right now. Just started a big portion of the wall in the Rio Grande Valley, which is now the biggest area for people coming in. We’ve sealed up a lot of the areas where people come in,” he informed.
Referring to the deal among lawmakers on the border security, he said he is not happy with it. “I can’t say I’m happy, thrilled. But the wall is getting built, regardless. It doesn’t matter because we’re doing other things beyond what we’re talking about here. So we’ll see what happens,” he told reporters.
““The Democrats want everybody to be able to come into our country. We have many criminals. When you look at the numbers of criminals that are nabbed,” he added and then accused the Democrats of being ‘obstructionists’.
It should be mentioned here that the 35-day federal government shutdown cost the US economy a whopping USD 11 billion, including a permanent USD 3 billion loss, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said last month.
PTI