A crowdfunding campaign to build a wall on the southern border has raised nearly $2.2 million in just three days.
Conservatives exasperated with President Donald Trump’s never-ending quest to secure funding for the wall were quick to pony up cash for the GoFundMe campaign, which was launched by an Iraq war vet.
It came as Trump appeared to back down from threats of a government shutdown to secure the $5 billion he wants for the wall, signalling he would sign the last spending bill he will get from a Republican-controlled Congress for the rest of his term without the desired wall money.
Border hawks were furious at the perceived betrayal, with arch-conservative pundit Ann Coulter tweeting: ‘In fairness to Trump, maybe we misheard him in 2016. Maybe he said the southern border needed a big, beautiful mall.’
A crowdfunding campaign to build a wall on the southern border has raised nearly $2.2 million in just three days
The campaign was launched on Sunday by Air Force veteran Brian Kolfage (above)
The sting for conservatives was deepened by an announcement on Tuesday that the U.S. will increase aid to Mexico and Central America to $10.6 billion.
‘This GoFundMe should be proof that the wall was not some ‘metaphor’ for Trump’s base; failure to deliver on this promise will have dire consequences in 2020,’ wrote Jon Levine, media editor at The Wrap.
Liberals meanwhile mocked the GoFundMe as evidence of Trump supporters’ gullibility, gloating that federal funding for Trump’s signature proposal is looking increasingly less likely.
‘Hard to imagine something dumber than this but I guess there’s still time before the rapture,’ wrote Molly Jong-Fast, a columnist for the Jewish publication The Forward.
‘We’re gonna build the wall and GoFundMe is gonna pay for it,’ another Twitter user jeered, mocking Trump’s campaign promise that Mexico would pay for the wall.
The campaign was launched on Sunday by Air Force veteran Brian Kolfage.
The 37-year-old triple-amputee created the GoFundMe account titled We The People Will Fund The Wall, which quickly began raking in donations.
‘It’s up to Americans to help out and pitch in to get this project rolling,’ the page reads. ‘If the 63 million people who voted for Trump each pledge $80, we can build the wall.’
The fundraising page says it has contacted the Trump Administration to secure a point of contact where all the funds will go, but adds it has ‘many very high level contacts already helping’.
‘As a veteran who has given so much, 3 limbs, I feel deeply invested to this nation to ensure future generations have everything we have today,’ the page says, elaborating on Kolfage’s history as a Purple Heart Medal recipient.
The married father-of-two lost both legs and his right arm in a 2004 insurgent attack in Iraq.
Purple Heart recipient Brian Kolfage, 37, created the page and said: ‘It’s up to Americans to help out and pitch in to get this project rolling’
‘Too many Americans have been murdered by illegal aliens and too many illegals are taking advantage of the United States taxpayers with no means of ever contributing to our society,’ it continues.
Kolfage says his grandparents immigrated to the US legally, adding, ‘they did it the correct way and it’s time we uphold our laws and get this wall BUILT!’
‘It’s up to Americans to help out and pitch in to get this project rolling,’ the page says.
Meanwhile, President Trump on Wednesday claimed the military would build his border wall and Mexico would pay for it – indirectly under the new trade agreement.
The married Florida father-of-two lost both legs and his arm in 2004 insurgent attack in Iraq
Trump said Wednesday the new trade deal means Mexico will pay for his wall
‘Mexico is paying (indirectly) for the Wall through the new USMCA, the replacement for NAFTA! Far more money coming to the U.S. Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall!,’ he tweeted.
His declaration comes after the White House ditched its demand for $5 billion in funding for the border wall amid negotiations to keep the government open.
Trump also vowed on Wednesday he ‘will win on the wall’ after the White House signaled it was ditching its demand for $5 billion in funding for his signature issue.
‘One way or the other, we will win on the Wall!,’ Trump tweeted on Wednesday morning as the clock ticked toward Friday’s partial government shutdown.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday the administration’s legal team was looking into whether the White House could redirect funds to build the border wall.
‘Too many Americans have been murdered by illegal aliens and too many illegals are taking advantage of the United States taxpayers,’ Kolfage said on the GoFundMe page