Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) said President Donald Trump following through with an immigration agreement with Democrats that doesn’t include funding for a border wall would be a death wish for his reelection.
The former congressman-turned-conservative-talk-radio-host appeared on MSNBC Thursday and was asked how the agreement, which Trump made with Democratic leaders Wednesday night, would impact Trump’s base. Walsh called the deal “devastating” and said Trump’s “dead” if he follows through.
“This is a betrayal. Look, this issue is different. Republican voters will not line up lock, step and barrel behind President Trump,” he said. “This issue got Trump elected, period. No amnesty. Build the damn wall. … If he betrays that promise, he’s dead. He is dead among his base. Millions and millions of voters will abandon him.”
The tentative agreement Trump and the Democrats reached Wednesday would provide protections for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as well as an agreement on amping up border security. But, there will be no funding for Trump’s border wall right now.
Trump appeared to confirm those reports Thursday, saying the wall would “come later” and tweeting in defense of DACA recipients.
When asked why this issue was so crucial to Trump’s base, Walsh reiterated that the promise of a border wall is what got him elected.
“This was the primary issue of his campaign, so if he walks away finally from this one I think he’s done,” he said. “If there’s no wall, forget about it. … If he doesn’t, he won’t get reelected.”
