Trump disagrees with chief of staff Kelly: Mexico wall still on
US president alleges that Mexico is the world’s ‘number one most dangerous country in the world’
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump on Thursday doubled down on his promise of a wall at the border with Mexico, publicly disagreeing with his chief of staff John Kelly, who had said that the US president had been “uninformed” of the issue as a candidate for the top job.
“The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it,” Trump tweeted.
Reportedly annoyed by being undercut by Kelly, Trump said there is no immigration deal — referring to the status of Dreamers — without the wall, claiming that Mexico is now “the number one most dangerous country in the world”.
The day before, Kelly had told lawmakers that as a candidate, Trump had been “uninformed” about the feasibility of a wall and other immigration issues, and his position had since evolved.
According to lawmakers present at the meeting, Kelly had said: “Certain things are said during the campaign that are uninformed, ” adding that a “concrete wall from sea to shining sea” is not going to happen. He had also said that the administration was aware that Mexico would never pay for such a wall.
Trump, in his Thursday tweet, did not dispute that Mexico was unlikely to pay for the wall. “The Wall will be paid for, directly or indirectly, or through longer term reimbursement, by Mexico,” he tweeted.
He also did not dispute Kelly’s assessment that Trump had evolved on DACA — Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals.
Lawmakers are currently negotiating a legislation to reinstate that protection. Trump is hacking it, but in return has sought progress on his chief immigrations promises — of boosting border security, and ending family-based migration and diversity visa lottery programmes.