Despite former President Trump’s request for President Biden to halt the sale of unused border wall parts, the materials are being sold in compliance with a Republican-backed federal law. Congressional Republicans complaining about this are lying to the American people.
Key Facts:
– Congress passed a 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requiring unused border wall materials to be sold or transferred.
– Republican lawmakers introduced Section 2890 of the NDAA mandating a timeline for disposing of these materials.
– Roughly 60% of the components were given to border states or federal agencies before the remainder was sold.
– The Department of Defense fulfilled its legal obligation and no longer owns the auctioned materials.
The Rest of The Story:
This issue revolves around the sudden push to sell leftover steel bollards and other components initially purchased for the U.S.-Mexico border wall under the Trump administration.
After President Biden paused construction, these parts lingered in southern Arizona.
When the sales appeared on GovPlanet, critics quickly called out the Biden administration, with some arguing that the move was intended to block the next White House from using these resources.
However, the reason for the sale traces directly back to the NDAA.
Signed into law, it required the Defense Department to dispose of these materials according to a strict schedule.
This directive came from congressional Republicans, who insisted on removing storage costs and finalizing the fate of the unused items.
As a result, the Department of Defense transferred what it could and then legally sold the remainder.
🚨 #BREAKING: Trump seeks restraining order on the Biden administration selling unused pieces of the border wall for $5 or less, asks Biden to stop the selling.
"This has nothing to do with Democrat or Republican."
"I'm asking today: Joe Biden, please stop selling the wall.… pic.twitter.com/SJdtL1GwYA
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 16, 2024
Commentary:
It is dishonest for Republicans to pin the blame on President Biden for these sales.
They wrote and passed the NDAA that forced the Department of Defense to liquidate the materials.
By now claiming that Biden is at fault, they are ignoring their own role in the process.
If Republicans want to serve the American people, they need to own up to their legislative decisions.
Voters are not well served by gamesmanship and finger-pointing.
If the party wants to stay relevant and credible, it must tell the truth and focus on problem-solving rather than playing politics.
The Bottom Line:
The sale of border wall materials followed a Republican-led legal mandate.
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Going forward, honesty and accountability will matter more than assigning empty blame.