White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders insisted at a press briefing on Tuesday that President Donald Trump's administration is not asking American taxpayers to fund Trump's border wall.
Trump previously threatened to force a government shutdown if Congress did not grant him $5 billion for a border wall, saying he would be "proud" to shut down the government "over border security."
During today's brief press conference, however, Sanders backed off that threat, saying they are looking for funding elsewhere, i.e., not from Congress.
ABC's Terry Moran pressed Sanders on "where the additional monies for the wall are going to come from." Citing the ballooning federal budget deficit, Moran asked Sanders why Trump is "asking the American taxpayer" to foot the bill when he promised that "Mexico was going to pay" for the wall.
"We're not asking American taxpayers for that. We are looking at existing funding through other agencies right now that we can draw on immediately."
She continued: "The president has been clear that the USMCA deal would provide additional revenue through that deal that would show that Mexico is paying for the wall."
Watch below:
"Have you done the math on that?" Moran asked of Sanders's plan to get "more revenue" from Trump's recent trade deal.
Sanders insisted trade revenue from USMCA, an updated version of NAFTA, would somehow pay for the wall without costing taxpayers additional money.
As CNN's Jim Acosta points out, Sanders's plan makes no sense. If the funding is coming from federal agencies, then taxpayer money is funding the wall.
Others echoed that sentiment.
Trump ran for president on the premise that Mexico would pay. This is never going to happen.
Does the administration understand how federal funding works?
It appears not.
Moran's line of questioning was lauded on Twitter, with many noting that Sanders did not answer the question.
A lie is a lie is a lie.
Math is not Trump's strong suit.
Trump and Congress have until midnight on Friday to avert a government shutdown.
