President Trump issued remarks on border security today after telling Republicans he could not sign the Senate spending bill passed last night due to lack of funding for the border wall.
“The safety and security and sovereignty of the United States is the most important principle of all,” he during a speech at the signing of the farm bill. “I look forward to signing a bill that fulfills our fundamental duty to the American people…It’s all about America first.”
Some key quotes from his speech:
- “A nation without borders is a nation not at all…I will not surrender this nation to the whims of criminal organizations who prey on the vulnerable who hurt women and children and have spread human misery and suffering. Human trafficking and massive drug inflow must also be stopped. Its at a tremendous level.”
- “At this moment there is a debate over funding border security and the wall…I’ve made my position very clear. Any measure that funds the government must include border security. It has to. Not for political purposes but for our country, for the safety of our communities…”
- “Essential to border security is a powerful, physical barrier. Walls work, whether we like it or not. In Israel, it’s 99.9 percent effective.”
The news comes after the President met with GOP leaders earlier today and told them he would not sign the Senate bill.
“We just had a very long, productive meeting with the president,” Ryan told reporters after the meeting. “The president informed us that he will not sign the bill that came up from the Senate last evening because of his legitimate concerns for border security.”
Readout from President Trump’s meeting with Republican House members: pic.twitter.com/QXGkHUrXhL
— Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) December 20, 2018
House Freedom Caucus members made it clear to Trump last night that they would support him if he did not approve of the Senate bill.
Caucus chairman Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) gave an impassioned speech on the House floor with a message to the president: “Mr. President we’re going to back you up if you veto this bill, we’ll be there, but more importantly, the American people will be there, they’ll be there to support you. Let’s build the wall and make sure that we do our job in Congress.”
Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH) blasted Congress for “fooling” the American people when it comes to border wall funding: “Everyone knows the line ‘fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me,’” he said.
“The new line should be, ‘fool the American people four times, shame on Congress.”
Jordan continued, “Now they’re talking about kicking it to February 8th, you got to be kidding me. February 8th? When Nancy Pelosi is Speaker? Four different times we promised something and then kicked the can down the road.”
“The House Freedom Caucus is sick of the games. The American people are sick of the games,” said Jordan.
