Donald Trump Mexico Wall 2017: President Drops Wall Funding as Spending Bill Deadline Looms
The United States Congress is still working on a measure to extend the deadline for the federal spending bill until Friday, May 5, in a bid to prevent a government shutdown similar to what occurred in 2013. President Donald Trump agreed to demands that the budget is not to include funds for the U.S.-Mexico border wall, avoiding a dispute with House Democrats that could threaten to derail the budget measure.
Trump told the media that "he might be willing to wait until September for the funding," according to the Telegraph. This accommodation by the President and other Republican negotiators to not push through the proposed $1 billion funding for the border wall made the discussion about the budget more productive.
The border wall is still a priority for most of Trump's supporters, although the extent of support for the huge undertaking varies even among his allies. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. said, "I support additional border security funding ... But a 2,200-mile wall, I don't think there's a whole lot of support for it," Graham noted.
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Even without an earmark in the federal budget for this fiscal year, Trump remains resolute. "The wall is gonna get built, folks ... We're gonna have the wall built," Trump affirmed as he slammed television "pundits who don't know what they're talking about," as quoted by Fox News.
When asked about a timeline for the U.S.-Mexico border wall, given the new developments, Trump assured that it will be built in his term and that construction would start "soon." He added that "We have plenty of time," and explained that plans and specifications for the wall have been ready for some time.
