Donald Trump claimed Thursday that Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto “acknowledged” on Wednesday during their joint press conference that a wall dividing the U.S. and Mexico would be built, even though Mexico has insisted it will not finance the project.
“And the wall will get built. And, in fact, that was sort of acknowledged if you look at the statement,” Trump said on Fox News’ “O’Reilly Factor” Thursday evening. “And he disagrees on who is going to pay for the wall. But that’s a negotiation and I will tell you that the United States will not be paying for the wall. Mexico will be paying for the wall.”
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The Republican presidential nominee maintained it would be in both countries’ best interests to secure their borders. The billionaire businessman and lifetime negotiator said the U.S. can “absolutely work with” its southern neighbor to “stop the drug trafficking, the human trafficking.”
Hours after speaking with Republican nominee, Pena Nieto had tweeted, “At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall.”
But Pena Nieto’s comment, whether intentional or coincidental, contrasts with Trump’s post-meeting claim at a joint press conference that the two “didn’t discuss” who would finance the multi-billion dollar project.
