President Trump vowed Sunday to deliver a ‘steel barrier’ on the southern border, rather than a wall, adding that the standoff over funding for border security, which has led to the government shutdown could be solved ‘in 20 minutes’ if Democrats cooperated.
The President sent out a tweet announcing the steel barrier compromise:
V.P. Mike Pence and group had a productive meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a Steel Barrier rather than concrete. It is both stronger & less obtrusive. Good solution, and made in the U.S.A.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2019
Trump also told reporters “We’ve been in touch with a lot of people and I informed my folks to say that we’ll build a steel barrier, steel, that it will be made out of steel, that it will be less obtrusive and stronger.”
Trump also noted that the move to steel was made to appease Democrats, who “don’t like concrete.”
“They don’t like concrete, so we’ll give them steel,” Trump said, saying the material will look “beautiful” and be “stronger” than concrete.
The New York Times reported that Democrats are unmoved by the steel compromise.
Trump defended the government shutdown once again, arguing that he is protecting the country.
“I don’t like doing this. I have no fun doing this. I was elected to protect our country. That’s what I’m doing,” said the president.
“This shutdown can end tomorrow. It’s really dependent on the Democrats,” Trump added, noting “Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and myself could solve this in 20 minutes if they want to. If they don’t want to it’s going to go on for a long time.”
When asked how government workers affected by the shutdown feel, Trump suggested many agreed with him.
“I’m sure that the people that are on the receiving end will make adjustments, they always do, and they’ll make adjustments,” the President said.
“People understand exactly what’s going on. But many of those people that won’t be receiving a paycheck, many of those people agree 100 percent with what I’m doing.” Trump urged.
Trump also reiterated his warning that he will invoke a national emergency and bypass Congress to get the barrier built.
While many Democrats and media leftists have argued that Trump has no legal grounding to invoke an emergency, Rep. Adam Smith, the chairman of the House Armed Service Committee, admitted Sunday that Trump does indeed have the authority to use the U.S. military to build the border wall.
“There is a provision in the law that says the president can declare an emergency. It’s been done a number of times, but primarily it’s been done to build facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq and in this case I think the president would be wide-open to a court challenge saying, ‘Where’s the emergency?'” Smith said.
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