President Donald Trump on Sunday blasted his own supporters, complaining that a section of fencing built by a private contractor along a wildlife refuge near the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona was only done to “make me look bad.”
The president claimed in a tweet that he had never supported efforts by the contractor to build a section of border fencing along the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge despite Washington Post reports indicating that Trump himself had pushed for the company to win approval for funding from the Defense Department.
“I disagreed with doing this very small (tiny) section of wall, in a tricky area, by a private group which raised money by ads. It was only done to make me look bad, and perhsps it now doesn’t even work. Should have been built like rest of Wall, 500 plus miles,” he tweeted.
According to The Washington Post, however, the president became a fan of Fisher Sand and Gravel, the company behind the 31-mile stretch of fencing near Tuscon, Ariz., after seeing the company’s CEO during media appearances on Fox News and Fox Business. In those appearances, CEO Tommy Fisher appealed to Trump and promised quick construction of border fencing.
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Trump even went as far as to inquire about the company’s bid for funding from the Army Corps of Engineers, the Post reported.
The project, which is not completed, is under federal review as government attorneys have alleged that sections of the fencing are endangered by erosion.
I disagreed with doing this very small (tiny) section of wall, in a tricky area, by a private group which raised money by ads. It was only done to make me look bad, and perhsps it now doesn’t even work. Should have been built like rest of Wall, 500 plus miles. https://t.co/L8RUPCAhqc
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2020
