Fox & Friends ponders whether Trump's wall might've just been 'symbolic'
Eight months into the Trump presidency and still no sign of his promised border wall, Fox & Friends is starting to wonder if President Trump may have been speaking metaphorically when he proposed such a barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border. "[H]as the wall almost become symbolic?" Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy pondered Thursday. "I know the president ran on it. It was a mantra. But at the same time, border crossings have gone down dramatically and you were talking about how the wall exists in certain forms and there's money to go to it ... but do you think we're going to get to the point where maybe they won't build the wall?"
The debate was sparked by Trump's Thursday morning tweet insisting that his "WALL" was "already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls." He said it would "continue to be built." Trump posted the tweet the morning after his dinner with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who said Trump at the sit-down agreed to "work out a package of border security, excluding the wall."
Former Republican congressman Jason Chaffetz, who recently joined Fox News as a contributor, swooped in to try to explain why Trump, who led chants of "build that wall" at his rallies, was now seemingly setting aside his promised wall while simultaneously suggesting it was already being built.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Chaffetz claimed Trump "doesn't need congressional authority to build the wall" because it's "already there." But then he said Trump does need funding, and it's "solely in the camp of the United States Congress to fund what the president promised he would do." Chaffetz said Trump will build the allegedly already built wall so long as Congress, whose authority Chaffetz claimed Trump does not need, will "step up and actually fund it."
Watch the discussion over at Mediaite.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The mental health crisis affecting vets
Under The Radar Death of Hampshire vet highlights mental health issues plaguing the industry
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Onion is having a very ironic laugh with Infowars
The Explainer The satirical newspaper is purchasing the controversial website out of bankruptcy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Rahmbo, back from Japan, will be looking for a job? Really?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid war
Speed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majority
Speed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden arrives in Peru for final summits
Speed Read President Joe Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, visit the Amazon rainforest and attend two major international summits
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published