After arriving back in Washington Sunday evening, President Trump told reporters that his team had given up the idea of securing funding for a concrete barrier and instead would be embracing steel — the “less obtrusive, stronger” and “beautiful” product — moving forward in wall funding negotiations.
“I informed my folks to say that we’ll build a steel barrier. Steel. It’ll be made out of steel. It’ll be less obtrusive, and it’ll be stronger,” he said. “But it’ll be less obtrusive, stronger, and we’re able to use our great companies to make it, by using steel. … They don’t like concrete, so we’ll give them steel. Steel is fine. Steel is actually — steel is actually more expensive than concrete, but it will look beautiful and it’s very strong. It’s actually stronger.”
Trump later tweeted about the development as well. Entering the seventeenth day of the government shutdown that Trump prompted with his demands for border wall funding in a government spending bill, both sides appear less-than-optimistic about the prospects of reaching an agreement. Democrats have proposed bills that would open the government while negotiations continue, but Trump’s team is obstinate; dead-set on securing cash for the wall.
V.P. Mike Pence and group had a productive meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a Steel Barrier rather than concrete. It is both stronger & less obtrusive. Good solution, and made in the U.S.A.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2019