Rome was not built in one day, and apparently, President Donald Trump's wall along the Mexican border will not be built or funded in total in one year either. Or even two years. According to White House Budget Director Mike Mulvaney, the budget proposed by the WH is calling for spending of $1.5 billion for building "The Wall" along the Mexican border.
The budget also calls for an additional spending of $2.6 billion on "The Wall" for the following Fiscal Year. The total cost is projected to cost over $25 billion. Internally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimated the cost at $21.6 billion and an outside firm, Bernstein Research, placed the price tag much higher at $25 billion.
The budget did not include a forecast of the next decade or a funding plan to build it. The Trump budget calls for more military spending, and a much more robust of enforcing immigration laws. Subsidies for public broadcasting, the arts, agriculture, education much of what the EPA does is in the cards, pending Congressional approval.
Trump cuts to USDA budget will target food safety, international food aid: https://t.co/WsMM6izxzB pic.twitter.com/mdQ85qczS3
— The Hill (@thehill) March 16, 2017
Mexico will not pay for 'The Wall'
What is clear as a bell is that Mexico will not pay for "The Wall" despite Trump's insistence. Nor has a provision been proposed in the budget released on Thursday morning indicating a payment from Mexico.
Trump budget proposal shows U.S. taxpayers footing the bill for border wall... not Mexico https://t.co/PUMdkQwyAj pic.twitter.com/DLbsFNjTAo
— Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) March 16, 2017
Trump seeks $4.1 billion for border wall, with no plan for Mexico to pay https://t.co/7pipGE26Ae pic.twitter.com/VWvw9stLGw
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) March 16, 2017
One of the ways that President Trump has indicated that Mexico will pay for "The Wall" is through a "border tax" on goods coming across.
The "border tax" would effectively mean the American people will pay for it. Many members of Trump's Republican party vigorously oppose any such tax.
Trump faces the practical side of governing after a grueling presidential campaign
During the presidential campaign, Trump insisted that the wall will be built. After the campaign and during the transition he insisted the wall will be built too.
Now the practical side of governing is approaching and it may be a bit more challenging to get the Congress to approve the funding in view of the fact that Mexico will not pay and has said so in public and in private meetings with White House officials.
