Kellyanne Conway says Trump has 'discovered' there are rivers and mountains on the border that make a physical wall unfeasible
President Trump has vowed to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, claiming during the campaign that the project "is easy, and it can be done inexpensively." At the time, experts warned him that it was not, in fact, simple and cheap — "our southern border is a mixture of winding river, desert, and mountains," former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson warned in October 2016. "Simply building more fences is not the answer."
CNN's Chris Cuomo went after that point on Wednesday night in conversation with presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway. Cuomo criticized Trump's newfound willingness to drop plans for a physical wall after he had insisted on one so determinedly during 2016. "When the president was promising it's going to be a big new wall all the way across, I'll build it in a year, people said exactly what you're saying now," Cuomo told Conway. "And [Trump] shook his head in defiance and said 'no, not me, that's these other guys.'" Cuomo added: "It's not a metaphor, it's not a fence, it doesn't mean sensors, it's a wall."
Conway, though, said Trump has since "discovered" that a physical wall is not feasible. "There are rivers involved, I'm told," Conway said (this is not a rumor, there is in fact an actual river). "There are mountains involved, there's terrain that isn't conducive to building an actual physical structure in some places."
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.
There might be one or two people out there sighing, "I told you so." Watch below. Jeva Lange
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
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
By The Week UK Published
-
Who are the markets backing in the US election?
Talking Point Speculators are piling in on the Trump trade. A Harris victory would come as a surprise
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 3, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
North Korea tests ICBM, readies troops in Ukraine
Speed Read Thousands of North Korean troops are likely to join Russian action against Ukraine
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Women take center stage in campaign finale
Speed Read Harris and Trump are trading gender attacks in the final days before the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Supreme Court allows purge of Virginia voter rolls
Speed Read Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is purging some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Empowered' Steve Bannon released from prison
Speed Read Bannon was set free a week before Election Day and quickly returned to his right-wing podcast to promote Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada accuses top Modi ally of directing Sikh attacks
Speed Read Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was allegedly behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris makes closing case in huge rally at DC's Ellipse
Speed Read The Democratic nominee asked voters to "turn the page" on Trump's "division" and "chaos"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'I am not a Nazi,' Trump says amid MSG rally fallout
Speed Read Trump and his campaign are attempting to stem the fallout from comments made by speakers at Sunday's rally
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published