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Trump stands by claim that Mexico will pay for wall Trump visits border amid US shutdown wall row
(about 2 hours later)
US President Donald Trump has insisted that Mexico will still pay for the border wall, claiming he never meant it would make a one-time payment. US President Donald Trump has threatened again to declare a national emergency to fund a border wall without Congress's approval.
"Obviously I never meant Mexico would write a cheque," Mr Trump said before travelling to McAllen, Texas. "I have the absolute right to declare a national emergency," he told reporters as he headed to an event at the border.
He says Mexico would "indirectly" fund the wall through a revamped trade deal, but a campaign memo shows he planned to compel the country to pay for the wall. He also said Mexico would "indirectly" pay for the wall - contradicting an earlier campaign memo.
A political row over Mr Trump's demand has triggered a US government shutdown. The government has been in partial shutdown for 20 days, leaving about 800,000 federal employees without pay.
President Trump says he refuses to sign legislation to fund and reopen the government if it does not include $5.7bn (£4.5bn) for a physical barrier along the US-Mexico border. President Trump refuses to sign legislation to fund and reopen the government if it does not include $5.7bn (£4.5bn) for a physical barrier along the US-Mexico border.
But budget talks have come to a standstill as Democrats - who control the House of Representatives - refuse to give him the money. Republican leaders insist the party stands behind the president. But budget talks have come to a standstill as Democrats - who control the House of Representatives - refuse to give him the money. Republican leaders insist the party stands behind the president, although some Republican lawmakers have spoken out in favour of ending the shutdown.
The funding lapse has dragged into the 20th day, with some 800,000 federal workers expected to miss their first pay cheque on Friday since the partial shutdown began. How could Trump pay for the wall without Congress?
Hundreds of federal workers, contractors and supporters rallied outside the White House on Thursday in protest against the shutdown. On Thursday, Mr Trump visited a border patrol station in McAllen, in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
"During the campaign, I said Mexico would pay for it," Mr Trump told reporters on Thursday before travelling to a border patrol station in McAllen, in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. He said that if Congress did not approve funding for the wall, he would "probably... I would almost say definitely" declare a national emergency to bypass lawmakers.
"They are paying for it with the incredible deal we made, the USMCA [US Mexico Canada Agreement]," he said. Analysts say that while presidents can direct military construction projects during war or national emergencies, the move would almost certainly face a legal challenge, and be accused of violating constitutional procedures.
The deal, which has yet to be ratified by Congress, would replace the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). The money would also have to come from funds allocated by Congress for other purposes - which some Republicans would also oppose.
Mexico will be "paying for the wall indirectly, many, many times over," Mr Trump argued, referring to the pending deal. Mr Trump has been briefed on one plan that would involve diverting funding allocated to reconstruction projects in disaster areas, including Puerto Rico, to pay for the wall, NBC reports, citing three unnamed US officials.
Critics say that any savings incurred due to the deal would go directly to private businesses rather than flow into US Treasury. How did Trump make his case for the wall?
Mr Trump spoke at McAllen station, behind a display of weapons and cash said to have been seized by the border patrol. He was joined by border patrol agents, and relatives of people killed by illegal immigrants.
"If we don't have a barrier... you're not going to be able to solve this problem," he said, adding that people faced "hard work", "gruelling problems" and "a lot of death" without it.
Mr Trump added: "They say a wall is medieval - well so is a wheel. A wheel is older than a wall... There are some things that work."
Commentators have questioned Mr Trump's analogy.
Has Trump changed his pledge on funding the wall?
Mr Trump made the border wall a key campaign promise - and pledged to make Mexico pay for it.
However, speaking on Thursday, Mr Trump claimed he never meant that Mexico would make a one-time payment.
"When I said Mexico would pay for the wall in front of thousands and thousands of people... obviously I never meant Mexico would write a cheque," he said."When I said Mexico would pay for the wall in front of thousands and thousands of people... obviously I never meant Mexico would write a cheque," he said.
But an archived campaign memo from 2016 outlines how he planned to "compel Mexico to make a one-time payment" of $5-10bn (£4bn-£8bn) for the wall. However, this is contradicted by an archived campaign memo from 2016, where Mr Trump outlined how he planned to "compel Mexico to make a one-time payment" of $5-10bn (£4bn-£8bn) for the wall.
The president also suggested on Thursday he would declare a national emergency, which would allow him to bypass Congress and open up defence department spending for the physical barrier - a move that would provoke a legal challenge. Mr Trump said on Thursday that, instead of a direct payment, Mexico would be "paying for the wall indirectly, many, many times over", under the new US Mexico Canada Agreement.
Shutdown negotiations failed on Wednesday when Mr Trump walked out of a meeting with Democratic leaders. Economists have disputed this and critics say that any savings incurred due to the deal would go directly to private businesses rather than flow into US Treasury.
The president called the meeting "a total waste of time" after top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer refused to budge on agreeing to legislation that includes funding for a wall. The deal, which has yet to be ratified by Congress, would replace the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta).
How is the shutdown progressing?How is the shutdown progressing?
Partial shutdowns occur when Congress cannot agree a budget by a certain deadline or the president refuses to sign it.Partial shutdowns occur when Congress cannot agree a budget by a certain deadline or the president refuses to sign it.
This shutdown, which began on 22 December, has closed 25% of the government. Of the 800,000 federal employees affected, about 350,000 are furloughed - a kind of temporary lay off - and the rest are working without pay.This shutdown, which began on 22 December, has closed 25% of the government. Of the 800,000 federal employees affected, about 350,000 are furloughed - a kind of temporary lay off - and the rest are working without pay.
Shutdown negotiations failed on Wednesday when Mr Trump walked out of a meeting with Democratic leaders.
The president called the meeting "a total waste of time" after top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer refused to budge on agreeing to legislation that includes funding for a wall.
The first pay day since the shutdown falls on Friday and will pass without workers getting salaries.The first pay day since the shutdown falls on Friday and will pass without workers getting salaries.
Hundreds of federal workers, contractors and supporters rallied outside the White House on Thursday in protest against the shutdown.
After past shutdowns, workers have generally been refunded with back pay, although that does not apply to those working for third-party contractors. The refunds are also not automatic - Congress must approve the measure.After past shutdowns, workers have generally been refunded with back pay, although that does not apply to those working for third-party contractors. The refunds are also not automatic - Congress must approve the measure.
Some affected federal workers who spoke to the BBC said they had resorted to a number of measures, including taking other jobs, racking up credit card bills, tapping into savings or taking on loans at high interest rates to pay their bills.Some affected federal workers who spoke to the BBC said they had resorted to a number of measures, including taking other jobs, racking up credit card bills, tapping into savings or taking on loans at high interest rates to pay their bills.
Thousands have also applied for unemployment benefits.Thousands have also applied for unemployment benefits.
The Office of Personnel Management, which oversees federal workers, has urged them to reach out to creditors and landlords for a deferral or reduction of payments.The Office of Personnel Management, which oversees federal workers, has urged them to reach out to creditors and landlords for a deferral or reduction of payments.
This weekend the shutdown will become the longest in US history.This weekend the shutdown will become the longest in US history.