President Donald Trump’s biggest and most controversial promise isn’t being forgotten about by anyone in his administration.
As BBC News reports, Trump reiterated his stance on the divisive topic of building a wall along the U.S. and Mexican border when addressing CPAC , something that he has never shied away from. He remains firm on his promise to keep the American people safe while deporting illegal immigrants from the country and ensuring that the process of getting the physical wall up and running stays on track.
In fact, not only is the planning for the wall on track, it’s going to happen “soon, way ahead of schedule,” meaning that we could see the construction come to fruition much quicker than previously thought. This announcement comes just after members of Trump’s administration met with government officials in Mexico City discussing many important topics, including the aforementioned border wall.
The pending border control strategy has been a topic of much contention among the public, media, and other politicians alike. Most recently, the prospect of who will pay for the wall has been brought into question. Initially, Trump promised that Mexico would foot the bill for its building. However, he has changed his tune since inauguration, suggesting that Americans may have to contribute in one way or another. The U.S. could pay by imposing a tax on all imported goods from Mexico (roughly 20%). Or Trump could have the Mexican government and/or citizens pay for the entire thing, which is to cost an estimated $15 billion, according to Forbes. Either way, if the border wall is built, someone has to pay up, and Mexico has already said that they refuse to finance the wall.
At the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Trump spoke about various topics, including why he won the presidency. As he sees it, his win was part of a “movement the likes of which the world has never seen before,” the Washington Post reports . Due to his win, America finally “ha[s] a president.”
Furthermore, he remained firm on his dislike for the Trans-Pacific Partnership and NAFTA (two trade agreements that he has long opposed). According to the Washington Post , no president since Ronald Reagan has addressed CPAC in their first year in office. But Trump wanted to use the opportunity to ensure that the public and press were aware that he hasn’t forgotten or backed down from his most controversial campaign promises.
In more recent weeks, actions by the president have created a wave of controversy, fear, and public scrutiny. Specifically, Trump’s decision to revoke guidelines set out by Barack Obama allowing transgendered students to use the bathroom that matched their chosen gender identity has created an upset in the LGBTQ community and across the globe. Trump has spoken out and put the decision in the hands of individual states and schools to decide without federal interference, as reported by Yahoo News. Also, previously reported by the Inquisitr , Caitlyn Jenner and other celebrities have taken a stand against this decision on social media.
As the press and public get harsher and more judgmental of the president’s actions, the more he buckles down and moves forward with his agenda. In a memorable soundbite from the event today , Trump explained that he will ” never ever, ever apologize for protecting the safety and security of the American people,” the Washington Post reports.
No specific timeline was given as to when construction on the wall is set to begin.
What are your opinions on Trump’s proposed border wall? Do you think it will actually happen? Sound off in the comment section below!
[Featured Image By Alex Wong/Getty Images]
