President Donald Trump has been tweeting almost nonstop about the crisis at the southern border, threatening to close it entirely if the “Obstructionist Democrats” don’t give up the necessary funding for his border wall.
Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are doing nothing for the United States but taking our money. Word is that a new Caravan is forming in Honduras and they are doing nothing about it. We will be cutting off all aid to these 3 countries – taking advantage of the U.S. for years!
As of Friday morning, Trump has tweeted 11 times about the border wall so far in the past two days, lobbing the threat to completely shut down the border in the latest four-tweet salvo.
The president campaigned relentlessly on building the border wall, saying time and time again that Mexico would pay for it. However, he is upping the ante with Democrats poised to take over the House of Representatives, while also saying he will cut off all aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
“We will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely if the Obstructionist Democrats do not give us the money to finish the Wall & also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our Country is saddled with. Hard to believe there was a Congress & President who would approve!” Trump tweeted.
“The United States looses (sic) soooo much money on Trade with Mexico under NAFTA, over 75 Billion Dollars a year (not including Drug Money which would be many times that amount), that I would consider closing the Southern Border a ‘profit making operation.’ We build a Wall or close the Southern Border. Bring our car industry back into the United States where it belongs. Go back to pre-NAFTA, before so many of our companies and jobs were so foolishly sent to Mexico. Either we build (finish) the Wall or we close the Border.
“Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are doing nothing for the United States but taking our money. Word is that a new Caravan is forming in Honduras and they are doing nothing about it. We will be cutting off all aid to these 3 countries – taking advantage of the U.S. for years!”
Trump’s demand for border wall money and the Democrats’ refusal to appropriate funds is at the center of the ongoing partial government shutdown that is coming up on one week as of midnight Friday.
The shutdown has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees on unpaid furlough.
Mexican President Reacts
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has reacted cautiously to a threat by President Donald Trump to close the border.
Trump tweeted Friday: “We build a Wall or … close the Southern Border.”
Disputes with Congress over funding for the border wall have already led to a partial U.S. government shutdown.
On Friday, Lopez Obrador said: “We are always seeking a good relationship with the United States. We do not want to be rash.” Referring to the border wall funding dispute, he said “we have not commented on this issue, because it is an internal affair of the U.S. government.”
Trump also threatened to cut off aid to Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, countries from which many migrants have fled.
Lopez Obrador said Mexico will defend migrants.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
