Trump: ‘The Military Will Be Guarding The Southern Border’ Until A Wall Is Built

Earlier today, president Donald Trump declared that until his infamous border wall is built, he will have the military guard the southern border of the United States. Calling the move a “big step,” Trump also declared we haven’t done this before.

Trump made the remarks during a meeting with Baltic leaders, where he said he had discussed the matter with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, according to Fox News. “Until we can have a wall and proper security, we’re going to be guarding our border with the military,” he said. “That’s a big step, we really haven’t done that before, or certainly not very much before.”

At a news conference later, Trump doubled down on the plan, saying the border is unprotected by “our horrible, horrible and very unsafe laws.” He went on to say, “We don’t have laws, we have catch-and-release. You catch and then you immediately release and people come back years later for a court case, except they virtually never come back.”

Although Trump failed to offer any more specific details about this newly devised plan for border protection, it appears to be, in part, motivated by the caravan of illegal immigrants making their way to the US border through Mexico.

Trump’s comments follow several comments and tweets he’s made about a “huge caravan” of Central American immigrants traveling through Mexico unobstructed by local authorities until the Mexican government announced late Monday night that the caravan would be broken up.

Reports of this caravan have obviously angered Trump, and his tweets show it.

The big Caravan of People from Honduras, now coming across Mexico and heading to our “Weak Laws” Border, had better be stopped before it gets there. Cash cow NAFTA is in play, as is foreign aid to Honduras and the countries that allow this to happen. Congress MUST ACT NOW!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 3, 2018

But, guess who gets stuck with the bill for the military “protecting” the southern border? If you guessed the taxpayer, you’d be correct. Trump is sticking everyday Americans living paycheck to paycheck with the bill.

The Pentagon was scrambling to come up with a response to Trump’s statement on the military guarding the border. But according to a memo obtained by Fox News and discussions with officials, one area where the Pentagon could contribute immediately is the Air Force’s Barry Goldwater live-fire range, which shares a 35-mile border with Mexico in southern Arizona.