The White House denied reports that President Trump is angry with his chief of staff for telling lawmakers that Trump’s vision of a wall on the Mexican…
The White House denied reports that President Trump is angry with his chief of staff for telling lawmakers that Trump’s vision of a wall on the Mexican border has “evolved” and wasn’t “fully informed” when he vowed during the campaign to build it.
“His only frustration is with the media and that’s what that tweet was about. They have a great relationship and that continues, ” Shah told reporters aboard Air Force One as Trump flew to Pittsburgh, Pa., to tout his tax plan and to stump for a Republican House candidate.
Trump reacted in a Tweet earlier Thursday morning to Chief of Staff John Kelly’s remarks during a meeting Wednesday with Democratic lawmakers that the United States will never build a wall along the country’s entire southern border and that Mexico will never pay for it.
“The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it,” Trump tweeted . “Parts will be, of necessity, see through and it was never intended to be built in areas where there is natural protection such as mountains, wastelands or tough rivers or water.”
He also reiterated his campaign vow that Mexico will pay for the wall.
“The Wall will be paid for, directly or indirectly, or through longer term reimbursement, by Mexico, which has a ridiculous $71 billion dollar trade surplus with the U. S,” adding that the “$20 billion border wall is, “peanuts compared to what Mexico makes from the U. S. NAFTA is a bad joke!”
In an interview later with Fox News, Kelly confirmed making the comments and elaborated, saying the president has gone through an “evolutionary process.”
“I pointed out to all the members that were in the room that they all say things during the course of campaigns that may or may not be fully informed,” Kelly said .
