President Donald Trump lectured Americans from the Oval Office on Tuesday during a primetime address to the country that he hoped would convince Capitol Hill to fund his border wall.
On December 22, Trump shut down the federal government after the then-Republican controlled Congress refused to pay for his border wall. Trump had constantly promised that Mexico would pay for the wall, but after Mexico refused, he shut down the government while trying to shift the burden to American taxpayers.
On Tuesday, Trump attempted to take his case directly to the voters. And things got weird.
Here are the seven most outrageous moments from Trump’s address to the nation:
7. Heroin
Drugs including heroin mostly come through legal points of entry, FYI.
— Ben White (@morningmoneyben) January 9, 2019
6. There is a humanitarian crisis of border crossings
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump claims illegal immigration is 'humanitarian crisis,' though crossings into US have declined in recent years.
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) January 9, 2019
5. Democrats don’t want a concrete wall
"At the request of Democrats it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall," Trump says. I do not recall any Democrat ever requesting that.
— Julie Davis (@juliehdavis) January 9, 2019
4. The wall will pay for itself
The new trade deal hasn't been ratified by Congress. Even if it is, eventually, possible benefits to U.S. businesses are not a funding stream that pays for an infrastructure project.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) January 9, 2019
3. Democrats don’t want border security
Democrats have repeatedly shown they're willing to fund various border security measures, just not A Wall.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) January 9, 2019
2. Trump’s speech was a call for bipartisanship
And he's moved on to the extremely thinly veiled racist appeal.
This was supposed to be bipartisan?
— S.V. Dáte (@svdate) January 9, 2019
1. Trump was being sincere
I see the president’s face but I hear Stephen Miller’s voice.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) January 9, 2019
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