Posted on 12/19/2018 10:53:56 AM PST by 11th_VA
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP reasserted a directive Wednesday – that the Pentagon quietly dismissed last week – that the military will assume responsibility for building a wall along the southern U.S. border.
Trump's announcement follows reports that the president withdrew his demand for $5 billion in funding for a border wall amid a lack of support in Congress as lawmakers seek a funding compromise that will keep the government open. Trump also repeated claims that a new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico will generate revenue that will fulfill his campaign promise of forcing America's southern neighbor to pay for the wall.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders indicated Tuesday that the administration was looking for other elements of the government that could fulfill one of the president's signature campaign promises.
"Mexico is paying (indirectly) for the Wall through the new USMCA, the replacement for NAFTA!" Trump wrote on Twitter, referring to the revised version of the North American Free Trade Agreement that he has rebranded as 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!"
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Army headquarters currently overseeing domestic operations along the U.S. border deferred questions to the Pentagon, which did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
But on Dec. 11, following Trump's initial claims that he would direct the military to begin wall construction, 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."
The statement from a department that regularly touts its ability to respond to directives immediately was seen as a way to push back on an unplanned demand from the president without openly contradicting the commander in chief.
Trump has hinted at the idea of using the military to pay for or build the wall, including in March. Federal agencies, however, cannot reappropriate funds without congressional approval. And top legislators on Capitol Hill have questioned whether Trump's authority to deploy the military could extend to building a permanent barrier.
[ "The real issue here is the money. There is nothing in the DOD budget that I could recognize as authorizing them to build a wall. I don't know where they get the authority," Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, said, according to The Washington Examiner.
Trump has previously used his executive power to deploy the military in support of domestic border issues without an apparent funding mechanism. In October, shortly before the November midterm elections, he announced that thousands of U.S. service members would temporarily deploy to border crossings in Texas, Arizona and California and unguarded portions of the southern border to help build fencing and wire barriers, and provide logistic support to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Trump claimed this was a necessary response to a caravan of hundreds of migrants approaching the U.S. from Central America.
Top military officials, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, pushed back at the time on Trump's assertions that the military would serve as a police force, saying its responsibilities were limited to logistics and support roles.
That deployment is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars, which will likely come out of the Defense Department's operating budget.
AWESOME! Almost 7/10th of 1% of 1/5th of Trump asked for funded! /s
...One of the problems with being in the military now is that they don’t have any projects - aka, wars - rght now and it all gets into the self-maintenance of rearguard officers. At least this would give them a project to work on and something for which they will be accountable.
_________________
Perhaps why we are leaving Syria? Frees up money and assets.
More important. The former firewalls the latter.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Zzzzz yourself ,It’s Trump against EVERYONE ,you must have been asleep for 2 years
If nothing else, he blocked that vile witch from the White House. His election was worth it just for that.
I’m still hoping for a wall, but I’m increasingly pessimistic on that point.
WTH is a “Maneuver Enhancement Brigade” or a “Press Camp Headquarters” ?
I know what happens when you impeach a President, his approval will go through the roof.
This was THE campaign promise. I have 0 faith we are getting the wall. He’s back on the Mexico will pay/military will build it fairy tale. I don’t believe it for a second. It’s over. F them all. “It’s a republic if you can keep it”, well apparently you cannot.
The left are evil geniuses. They actually let our side destroy the country for them. The DNC b*tch and complain about everything to keep the sheep active but in reality, they must be ecstatic that they have gotten everything they wanted and ecstatic we have not come close to getting everything we wanted under a GOP majority and GOP President.
Right after the FBI & DOJ documents are declassified.
Don’t think America is going to enjoy coexisting with half the country being made up of rag tag illegal occupiers.
What’s embarrassing is people reading slanted drive-by spin and cautious statements from administrative personnel and taking it as gospel.
Trump is tweeting to attempt to by-pass the lies, innuendos and a full-bore attempt to demoralize us and separate us from POTUS.
This is a campaign in the war. This is Tokyo Rose on crack. And I do not mean POTUS’ tweets.
Learn to read critically.
BTW, Rush was embarrassing today as he took the drive-by BS and ranted for an entire monologue before admitting it made no sense. In my house, I had to stop work, go read some articles and some of the cogent posts by people who understand how logistics work and do an intervention before I had a full-blown depressive episode on my hands.
I am embarrassed and dismayed by how easily played FReepers are. Has the media told anyone the truth in the past 50 years? Why would you believe them and not the one man who has accomplished miracles in 24 months?
..........”I guess Trump got tired of winning”......
Really?....Surely you jest.
Wake me up when the wall’s done.
Maybe the lesson is not to promise things you, and you alone, cannot provide.
What did you expect..it’s US News...
He must pull a Reagan and go on tv.
BULL SHITE!!! Trump lacks the balls to honor his solemn vow to America.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.