You gotta love this guy.
How long has he had this up his sleeve and he just chose to release it today, a few days before the Democrat’s deadline runs on February 15 for a border wall deal.
President Trump has said it over and over and over….the wall is getting built with or without the Democrats!
It’s getting built with or without Congress.
It’s going to be built. Period.
And now we just got a glimpse into what might have been his “Trump Card” all along.
Take a look:
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....
....Will be getting almost $23 BILLION for Border Security. Regardless of Wall money, it is being built as we speak!
The Daily Caller explained more:
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is “looking over all aspects” of the border security deal dreamed up by a bipartisan congressional committee to avoid another partial government shutdown.
The deal in question reportedly contains $1.375 billion in funding for a physical border barrier, well short of Trump’s requested $5.7 billion, and institutes a cap of 40,000 detention beds maintained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The president told reporters earlier in the day that he is “not happy” with the deal, but sources close to the process told The Daily Caller that he is likely to sign it anyway.
In a series of Tuesday evening tweets, the president seemed to set the stage for signing the deal, asserting that he can get money for border security from “other sources.”
“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 wrote. “Will be getting almost $23 BILLION for Border Security. Regardless of Wall money, it is being built as we speak!”
The president did not say specifically where he would be able to drum up $23 billion for border security, but Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney argued Sunday that “there are certain funds of money that [Trump] can get to without declaring a national emergency and other funds that he can only get to after declaring a national emergency.”
The president warned during the negotiation process that he would be open to declaring a national emergency and using unmarked Department of Defense (DOD) funds to build the wall if a deal wasn’t reached by the Feb. 15 deadline.
And from The Hill:
President Trump on Tuesday appeared to express openness to a border security deal reached by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, suggesting that its funds could be combined with others to build his desired wall along the southern border.
"Looking over all aspects knowing that this will be hooked up with lots of money from other sources," Trump tweeted. "Will be getting almost $23 BILLION for Border Security. Regardless of Wall money, it is being built as we speak!"
Trump's latest comments on the arrangement came after he and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, reviewed the particulars of the deal.
The proposal would provide $1.375 billion in funding for roughly 55 miles of new barriers along the southern border, well short of the $5.7 billion Trump demanded late last year when he triggered a partial government shutdown that lasted 35 days.
Shelby told reporters that he explained to the president that the agreement contained nearly $23 billion in total funding. The senator added that he did not ask Trump if he would sign the bill, calling the question "premature."
"The president's tone and conversation was very good. Concerned that he didn't get everything he wanted, and I told him I shared that. We all do. But realizing after I talked with him … that he's getting a good downpayment," Shelby told reporters about Trump's reaction to the agreement.
Shelby added that he told Trump that Republicans "had a good reception in the caucus today about this and we know it's multiyear, we know it's going to cost a lot of money but it's a good start."
A number of conservatives initially panned the deal, arguing it failed to properly address border security funding. Republicans have urged the president to back the agreement, and some of his more conservative allies, including Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), have suggested they expect him to sign the legislation to avert another government shutdown.
Funding for a number of government agencies expires on Friday.
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