Trump Camp: Negotiating Wall Payment Now Would’ve Been ‘Inappropriate’

Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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After reports surfaced on Wednesday evening President Enrique Peña Nieto told Donald Trump that Mexico would not pay for a border wall during their meeting, the Trump campaign explained that it would have been “inappropriate” for Trump to begin negotiations.

“Today was the first part of the discussion and a relationship builder between Mr. Trump and President Peña Nieto. It was not a negotiation, and that would have been inappropriate,” Trump spokesman Jason Miller said in a statement Wednesday evening. “It is unsurprising that they hold two different views on this issue, and we look forward to continuing the conversation.”

Trump initially told reporters that he did not discuss with Peña Nieto who would pay for the wall. The Trump campaign then released the statement after it was revealed that the border wall did come up during the meeting.

Vice presidential candidate Gov. Mike Pence offered a similar explanation for why Peña Nieto told Trump he wouldn’t pay for the wall without prompting further discussion of the matter.

“A whole range of topics were discussed in the meeting and the subject of the wall was discussed, but getting into the details and negotiations about paying for the wall, it really wasn’t that kind of a meeting,” he said during an interview on CNN Wednesday night.

“Donald Trump is an experienced negotiator. He knows that everything in a business relationship, or now in a diplomatic relationship, begins with relationship, with getting to know people, finding out where there’s common ground,” he continued. “As I was told just a few moments ago, going into this meeting, both of those parties were very clear they had a difference of opinion on who would pay for the wall. There was really no reason to discuss that at the meeting.”

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