The US president Donald Trump has issued an executive order on building a physical wall on the Mexican border. The move is no surprise as Trump had vowed during his controversial campaigns to erect the wall to stop Mexican migrants who he called ‘criminals and rapists’ crossing into the US soil.
Mexico to pay for the wall
The physical wall at the border will likely fuel the rising tension between Washington and Mexico and exacerbate the already tense and dwindling relationship that has existed between the two countries since Donald Trump openly criticized Mexican migrants in his controversial campaign.
The new development has angered Mexico with the Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto reaffirming that his country will not pay for the wall in any way. Speaking to ABC News, President Donald Trump stated that Mexico would ‘absolutely’ reimburse the US for the construction of the wall.
Congress to approve wall construction
Confirmed reports indicate that Trump has greatly increased the number of border patrol and homeland officers in a bid to implement his stringent policies on immigration. The 2,000 mile billion dollar structure now awaits Congress approval even though President Pena Nieto has lambasted President Trump asserting that Mexico does not believe in walls and will not accept any form of disrespect from Washington.
Obamacare and TPP under threat
President Trump has already issued executive order that will pull the US from the twelve nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal brokered by the Obama administration. The move has been sharply criticized as one that hampers free trade. The President Trump has also sought to abolish the affordable health act ‘Obamacare’ which has benefited millions of Americans.
Trump is widely going against the traditions by engaging in unorthodox diplomacy with foreign states. He recently came under intense criticism for condemning German chancellor Angela Merkel on her open door policy on Muslim refugees entering Europe. Trump’s statement was however quickly rubbished by out-going French President Francois Hollande.