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Trump Comments On Border Wall
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Trump Comments On Border Wall

President-elect Donald Trump is calling foul—and this time, his target is the Biden administration’s hurried efforts to sell off portions of the border wall. Following a Daily Wire investigation revealing public auctions of border wall materials, Trump slammed the move as “almost a criminal act” and vowed to take action, including pursuing a restraining order to halt the sales.

“This administration is trying to sell it for five cents on the dollar knowing that we’re getting ready to put it up,” Trump said during a press conference, his frustration palpable. “What they’re doing… it’s almost a criminal act.”

The situation, as uncovered, raises serious questions about waste and intention. According to Republican Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri, the materials are being unloaded for a fraction—as little as 0.2%—of their original cost to taxpayers. Trump didn’t mince words: the wall will need to be rebuilt, and it will cost double what it did years ago thanks to rising costs of labor and materials. “We’re going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more on building the same wall that we already have.”

The timing, Trump argued, is particularly suspect. With mere weeks until his January inauguration, the Biden administration’s actions look less like policy and more like sabotage. “That has nothing to do with a smooth transition,” Trump emphasized. “That has to do with people really trying to stop our nation.”

To underscore the absurdity of the situation, Trump noted that some buyers have already swooped in, snatching up wall materials at bargain-basement prices—only to turn around and offer to sell them back to the government at inflated costs. “They’re selling it for three cents on the dollar and then trying to sell it back to us for hundreds of dollars a foot,” Trump said.

Republicans are already mobilizing to stop the fire sale. Senator Schmitt, who has been vocal on this issue, penned a sharp letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin demanding an immediate end to the auctions. “These border wall materials will cost tens of thousands of U.S. taxpayer dollars to replace,” Schmitt wrote, calling the Biden administration’s actions both wasteful and counterproductive.

The numbers speak for themselves: under the Biden administration, illegal border crossings have soared to record levels, straining federal resources and local communities alike. Trump, whose presidency prioritized border security, made it clear that rebuilding the wall is non-negotiable. His administration intends to resume construction as part of his broader effort to regain control of the border—a signature promise that resonated deeply with voters in 2024.

The Biden administration, for its part, has yet to respond to Trump’s calls to halt the sales. But the optics are not in their favor: auctioning off critical border infrastructure just weeks before Trump returns to office feels, at best, like shortsighted governance, and at worst, like a deliberate attempt to undermine his incoming administration.

This battle over the border wall materials highlights a larger divide between the two administrations: Trump sees the wall as a necessary investment in national security, while Biden’s team has treated it as expendable political baggage. Yet, with the border crisis showing no signs of abating, it’s Trump’s vision that once again appears aligned with reality.

In the meantime, Trump’s allies in Texas and beyond are already working to secure a restraining order to stop the auctions in their tracks. The legal fight may soon unfold, but one thing is clear: the border wall is not just a policy debate—it’s a political flashpoint that will continue to define the early days of Trump’s second term.

Written by Arthur Higgens - December 17, 2024