Trump can’t get Mexico to pay for his wall, so he is stealing billions of dollars from the military that was supposed to pay for equipment to keep America safe.
According to Armed Forces Press:
#BREAKING Pentagon shifts $3.8 bn to Mexico border wall construction pic.twitter.com/xP8sIIhsnp
— AFP news agency (@AFP) February 13, 2020
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The money will be drawn from a host of procurement accounts, many of which are popular on Capitol Hill. The move includes a cut of two Marine Corps F-35B fighter jets at a cost of $223 million; $100 million from the Army National Guard’s Humvee modernization program; $650 million cut from the Navy’s amphibious assault ship replacement; and $261 million from the Expeditionary Fast Transport ship. The reprogramming also trimmed two Air Force C-130J transport aircraft for a cut of $196 million and $180 million from the service’s light attack aircraft program.
The Pentagon also sapped an extra $1.3 billion from National Guard and Reserve equipment accounts, for which Congress has typically sought to allocate increased funding.
The military that Trump’s claims to have “rebuilt” will be denied billions of dollars in new equipment and resources. There is also an economic impact in states and districts where military equipment is made. Less money for equipment from Uncle Sam means fewer jobs in these districts.
Mexico isn’t paying for the wall. US taxpayers are footing the bill through Trump’s theft from the troops to pay for a border wall that has so far been sawed through and fallen down.
Trump is harming the troops to pay for his wall.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
