Donald Trump claims military may build border wall if Democrats don’t provide funding

Donald Trump has held an extraordinary press conference with Democrat leaders, threatening to shut down the government if he doesn’t get border wall funding.

US President Donald Trump has openly fought with the top two Democratic politicians at an Oval Office meeting about government funding, throwing into question whether a deal was possible ahead of a deadline later this month.

In a remarkable public argument, the likes of which is seldom seen before cameras, Mr Trump bickered with US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi about funding for his border wall.

The president has called for $US5 billion ($A6.9 billion) to fund the barrier along the US-Mexico border, a campaign promise that he has made into a central issue. He ended the argument by saying he was willing to make good on his repeated threat to shut down the federal government over the issue.

“It’s called transparency,” Mr Trump said after Ms Pelosi protested about the public nature of the spat.

House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald Trump, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Picture: AP

Congress is seeking to finalise spending before some federal government funding expires on December 21.

While Mr Trump’s fellow Republicans control the House and the Senate until next month, Democratic support is needed to pass any spending legislation.

US President Donald Trump argues about border security with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Picture: Getty

In a series of early morning tweets, Trump praised his administration’s moves to block migrants at the US border with Mexico and said efforts to stop a caravan of migrants seeking to reach the US were a success, and vowed that “the Wall will get built”.

Mr Trump said the military will build his promised border wall “if Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country.”

Mr Trump tweeted that immigration and border patrol agents and the military have done a “FANTASTIC” job securing the border with Mexico. But Trump says “A Great Wall” would be a “far easier & less expensive solution.”

Despite the large Caravans that WERE forming and heading to our Country, people have not been able to get through our newly built Walls, makeshift Walls & Fences, or Border Patrol Officers & Military. They are now staying in Mexico or going back to their original countries.......

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018

.....Ice, Border Patrol and our Military have done a FANTASTIC job of securing our Southern Border. A Great Wall would be, however, a far easier & less expensive solution. We have already built large new sections & fully renovated others, making them like new. The Democrats,.....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018

....however, for strictly political reasons and because they have been pulled so far left, do NOT want Border Security. They want Open Borders for anyone to come in. This brings large scale crime and disease. Our Southern Border is now Secure and will remain that way.......

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018

.....I look forward to my meeting with Chuck Schumer & Nancy Pelosi. In 2006, Democrats voted for a Wall, and they were right to do so. Today, they no longer want Border Security. They will fight it at all cost, and Nancy must get votes for Speaker. But the Wall will get built...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018

....People do not yet realize how much of the Wall, including really effective renovation, has already been built. If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018

He claimed Democrats don’t want border security for “strictly political reasons.”

Some government funding expires on December 21 and the risk of shutdown looms.

Democrats Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. Picture: Supplied

Democrats are offering $US1.3 billion ($A1.8 billion) for fencing and other border security measures.

Contractors work to reinforce a section of the US border wall in San Diego where scores of Central American migrants have crossed illegally in recent weeks. Picture: AP

They have urged Mr Trump to support a bill that includes a half-dozen government funding bills largely agreed upon by politicians, along with a separate measure that funds the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through September 30.

It was unclear how Trump would try to use the US Department of Defense to build the wall, given that defence and military construction appropriation bills were signed into law for the 2019 fiscal year without any wall funding.