From the Clinton campaign:
Hillary for America Chair John Podesta released the following statement in reaction to Donald Trump’s meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto:
“Donald Trump has made his outlandish policy of forcing Mexico to pay for his giant wall the centerpiece of his campaign. But at the first opportunity to make good on his offensive campaign promises, Trump choked. What we saw today from a man who claims to be the ultimate ‘deal maker’ is that he doesn’t have the courage to advocate for his campaign promises when he’s not in front of a friendly crowd. We know who he is. After today’s trip, we still know where Trump stands: an immigration plan that would deport 16 million people, end birthright citizenship, repeal DACA/DAPA and build a $25 billion wall and stick the American taxpayers with the bill.”
TRUMP SAID GETTING MEXICO TO PAY FOR THE WALL WOULD BE “EASY”
Trump: “We’re Going To Build The Wall And Mexico Is Going To Pay For The Wall, Believe Me, One Hundred Percent. Believe Me. That’ll Be Very Easy. That Will Be Very, Very Easy. Politicians Think We’re Joking, We Don’t Joke. We Don’t Joke.” TRUMP: “We’re going to build the wall and Mexico is going to pay for the wall, believe me, one hundred percent. Believe me. That’ll be very easy. That will be very, very easy. Politicians think we’re joking, we don’t joke. We don’t joke. This is a movement. This is a movement, and movements don’t joke. Believe me. It’s getting worse now as thousands of recent border crossers are being relocated to the State of Virginia, and you don’t know who they are, you don’t know where they come from.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Fredericksburg VA, 8/20/16; VIDEO 33:34]
Trump: “We’re Going To Build The Wall. That Wall Will Go Up So Fast, Your Head Will Spin. And You’ll Say, ‘You Know, He Meant It.’ And You Know What Else I Mean? Mexico Is Going To Pay For The Wall.”“Responding to chants of ‘Build that wall,’ Trump assured the crowd that he would seal the southern border, a plan that is popular among his overwhelmingly white loyalists but offensive to many Latinos and Asians whose votes he needs in Colorado, Nevada and Florida. ‘Don’t worry. We’re going to build the wall,’ he said. ‘That wall will go up so fast, your head will spin. And you’ll say, “You know, he meant it.” And you know what else I mean? Mexico is going to pay for the wall.’” [Los Angeles Times, 8/22/16]
TRUMP WAS WILLING TO START A TRADE WAR WITH MEXICO OVER PAYING FOR THE WALL
Trump On What He Would Do If Mexico Would Not Pay For A Wall: “I Don’t Mind Trade Wars.” BLITZER: “If the — if the Mexicans don’t pay for the wall, will you start a trade war with Mexico?” TRUMP: “Well, you know, I don’t mind trade wars when we’re losing $58 billion a year, you want to know the truth. We’re losing so much. We’re losing so much with Mexico and China — with China, we’re losing $500 billion a year. And then people say, ‘don’t we want to trade?’ I don’t mind trading, but I don’t want to lose $500 billion. I don’t want to lose $58 billion.” [Republican Primary Debate, Houston TX, 2/25/16]
Trump Suggested He Would Be Willing To Cut Off Trade With Mexico If They Did Not Pay For The Border Wall. TRUMP: “We have a trade deficit with Mexico, $58 billion a year. The wall is going to cost approximately $10 billion. Believe me, they will pay in one form or another–” MATTHEWS: “If not — or else what?… So we cut off Japan, we cut off — this is the — this is your strategy in every case. We could walk, no more trade with Mexico.” TRUMP: “You have to always– Oh, absolutely.” MATTHEWS: “No more troops in Europe.” TRUMP: “And by the way, when I say no more trade, once you — once they know that you are really willing to go that extra length, there will always be trade, but we’ll make good deals. We’re making the worst trade deals.” MATTHEWS: “Yeah, but the bottom line is always we walk.” TRUMP: “You have to be able to walk, yes. It’s unlikely that you’ll have to, but you have to be able to walk.” [MSNBC Town Hall, MSNBC, Green Bay WI, 3/30/16; VIDEO 00:58:41]
TRUMP HAS SUGGESTED TENSIONS WITH MEXICO OVER PAYING FOR THE WALL COULD BECOME PHYSICAL
Trump On Whether He Would Go To War With Mexico To Make Them Pay For The Wall: “When I Rejuvenate Our Military, Mexico’s Not Going To Be Playing With Us With War, That I Can Tell You.”WOODWARD: “If they say no, would you be willing to go to war to make sure we get the money to pay for this wall?” TRUMP: “Trust me, Bob, when I rejuvenate our military, Mexico’s not going to be playing with us with war, that I can tell you. Mexico isn’t playing with us with war. Look, I have great relationships with the Mexican people. Look, you can see I’m winning every single poll in these primaries when they go out, when the polls come back with Hispanics. I have thousands of Hispanics that work for me and tens of thousands that have worked for me over the years.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 3/9/16]
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