Newt Gingrich warns Trump shutting down the border would have 'absurd' consequences

Newt Gingrich is pretty concerned about President Trump's threat to close the border, pleading with him not to do so on Fox & Friends.

The former House speaker and usual Trump ally on Wednesday spoke about the president's recent threats to close the U.S. border with Mexico entirely, making clear that he thinks it's a really, really bad idea.

"I think that the consequences to the economy, to our relationship with Mexico, to millions of families, would be absurd, and I would strongly urge the president not to try to shut down the border," Gingrich said, per Talking Points Memo.

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Gingrich went on to say that closing the border would "truly be a mess" and would "mess up the very economy he's proud of."

Trump said last Friday that he would close the border this week "if Mexico doesn't immediately stop all illegal immigration coming into the United States." By Tuesday, he had eased up on this threat a bit, claiming that Mexico is now willing to cooperate and meet his demands, per The Hill. Still, he has left the threat open by saying on Tuesday per CBS News, "I'm ready to close it." Brendan Morrow