Thread: Pentagon approves plan to shift $1.5B for wall along US-Mexico border

5 hrs ago
By Brooke Singman, Lucas Tomlinson | Fox News

The Pentagon has approved a plan to spend an additional $1.5 billion to build 80 more miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, a U.S. defense official confirmed to Fox News Friday.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan approved the re-allocation of funds, which were originally earmarked for support of Afghan security forces and other projects, to help pay for the wall along the southern border.

Today, I authorized the transfer of $1.5 billion toward the construction of more than 80 miles of border barrier," he said. "The funds were drawn from a variety of sources, including cost savings, programmatic changes, and revised requirements, and therefore will have minimal impact on force readiness."

In March, Shanahan approved the first transfer of Defense Department dollars and redirected $1 billion to help build nearly 60 miles of wall in Yuma, Ariz. and El Paso, Texas.

The combined total of $2.5 billion is in response to President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the border.

But the plan to divert Pentagon funding has sparked criticism from congressional Democrats, who accused Shanahan of not seeking approval to “reprogram” the funds without congressional authority. Shanahan and other senior defense officials claimed in response they did not have to get permission from Congress despite the objections from Democratic lawmakers.

Shanahan, who has said he plans to visit the border on Saturday, said that the Pentagon is “fully engaged” in fixing the border crisis. He said that more than 4,000 troops and 19 aircraft are supporting Customs and Border Protection personnel.

The funds are being reprogrammed from the Afghan Security Forces Fund, a project focused on chemical weapons, Air Force programs, savings related to a military retirement system, and coalition support funds. The Pentagon is also expected, at some point, to transfer up to $3.6 billion from military construction budgets to pay for wall construction, but details of those plans have yet to be announced.

The move comes after White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Thursday that the president would officially nominate Shanahan to be the next U.S. secretary of defense. The decision to have Shanahan permanently lead the department “is based upon his outstanding service to the country and his demonstrated ability to lead.”

"Acting Secretary Shanahan has proven over the last several months that he is beyond qualified to lead the Department of Defense, and he will continue to do so," Sanders said in a statement Thursday.

Shanahan said he was “honored” by Trump’s decision.

“If confirmed by the Senate, I will continue the aggressive implementation of our National Defense Strategy," he said. "I remain committed to modernizing the force so our remarkable Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines have everything they need to keep our military lethal and our country safe.”

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pen...-mexico-border

Originally Posted by Jean

Shanahan, who has said he plans to visit the border on Saturday, said that the Pentagon is “fully engaged” in fixing the border crisis. He said that more than 4,000 troops and 19 aircraft are supporting Customs and Border Protection personnel.

Let's clear this up. You have 100,000 invaders coming through a month and you call that "fully engaged" in fixing the border crisis?
The 100,000 are just the ones that are counted. Who knows how many are getting through we don't know about.

You send the military to cook and drive for the invaders, and you call that "fully engaged" in fixing the border crisis?

Many of us were taught from a very young age to respect the military, especially if we were raised by a World War II Vet, but they also taught us to be on guard for deceivers. Thank you Dad! I'm thankful you are not witnessing what is happening to the country and the military you loved.

James Aloysius "Ace" Lyons Jr. September 28, 1927 – December 12, 2018

88 year old ----4 Star Admiral James Aloysius "Ace" Lyons, Jr. who Served in the U.S. Navy for thirty-six years as a Surface Warfare Officer, including as Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Senior U.S. Military Representative to the United Nations and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations.

He is speaking during the Obama years about Shari Law , but if he were still living, I am sure he would be saying the same thing today under the current President and the invasion on our border.

Rather have that 1.5 Billion of borrowed Fake $$$$ from the Rothschilds go for that BS garbage 18 ft. fence along the border than go to that 18 year old SCAM in Afganistan. I do actually really like Trump's 30 ft. femce now that he added razor wire to the top of it. We need 2000 miles of it with a road in back of it, along with another wall/fence in back of the road.