PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump is calling on President Joe Biden to halt the sale of unused portions of the border wall materials initially purchased during his first administration. During his first news conference since winning the White House for the second time, Trump made it clear he was not happy with the Biden administration's decision to sell these materials at what he described as undervalued prices.
At the press conference held at his Mar-a-Lago club, Trump sharply criticized the former president's "almost criminal act" of selling off unused border wall segments for mere pennies on the dollar. "I’m asking today, Joe Biden, to please stop selling the wall. We’re going to use it to create a strong barrier,” Trump declared. He emphasized the drastic increase in wall construction costs since his last term, noting, "It’s very expensive, and now it’s about double the price of what it would have been six years ago, and the administration is trying to sell it for five cents on the dollar, knowing we’re getting ready to put it up."
The sales, which have come under significant scrutiny, purportedly include border wall pieces being auctioned off on the online platform GovPlanet, with bids starting as low as $5. Reports indicate trucks are hauling away these materials from border stations near Nogales, Tucson, and Three Points, with the aim of having them removed before Christmas.
During the conference, Trump maintained conversations with key Texas political figures, including Attorney General Ken Paxton and Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, about how to legally challenge the sales. He stated, "They know we’re going to use it, and if we don’t have it, we’re going to have to rebuild it, and it will cost double what it cost years ago, and that's hundreds of millions of dollars."
Republicans have been raising alarms about the potential political motivations behind the Biden administration's actions. Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) suggested the move to sell border wall materials could be seen as part of larger efforts to undermine Trump's future policies. He noted, "If it’s true, they’re purposefully hamstringing an incoming president, it wouldn’t be shocking. Why would they want to see President Trump succeed with policies they aggressively sabotaged?"
Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act last year, which included provisions directing the Biden administration to manage the disposal of unused border wall materials. According to defense officials, the Act allows states, particularly those along the southern border, to acquire these materials for refurbishment of existing barriers, contingent on not using them for new installations. Despite this, many border enforcement agents have expressed discontent. Border Patrol Council Vice President Art Del Cueto stated, “Selling the materials is making some agents upset. It's all taxpayer dollars wasted.”
Trump's frustration with the administration's handling of the wall materials reflects larger concerns about national security and spending efficiency. "We’re going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more on building the same wall we already have," he noted, indicating the absurdity of needing to spend more taxpayer money on rebuilding efforts.
The White House did not respond immediately to requests for comments about Trump’s statements. Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-TX) confirmed plans for Texas to take initiative to purchase these materials, stating he has secured one billion dollars for this purpose. "I will go in and buy it all," Patrick asserted, aiming to provide the available materials to Trump once he assumes office.
Notably, former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey also criticized the border material sales, deeming them reckless and stating on social media, “This decision from President Biden will make Arizonans less safe, and should be reversed immediately.”
Overall, Trump’s remarks at the press conference encapsulate his commitment to border security issues and his belief in the necessity of the wall as part of America’s national defense strategy.
