BBC Online :
US President Donald Trump has denied changing his views on the Mexico border wall.
It comes after his chief of staff, John Kelly, told Fox News that the president’s opinions had evolved since his original campaign promises about its construction and funding.
“Campaigning is very different from governing,” said Mr Kelly on Wednesday.
Hours later, the president tweeted to say Mexico would still “directly or indirectly” pay for the wall.
Immigration is a key issue between lawmakers and the White House on the eve of a possible federal government shutdown.
With a longer-term budget deal not reached, Congress faces a Friday midnight deadline to pass a stopgap measure that would fund federal agencies until next month.
Democrats want the bill to include protections for immigrants who entered the US illegally as children, known as “Dreamers”.
The Republican president had signalled he was ready to make a deal to help
the Dreamers, in return for border security funding to include a wall on the Mexican border.
Both the president and his chief of staff cited the estimated cost as $20bn (£14bn); Mr Trump had originally put the figure at $10-$12bn.
Mr Kelly said the administration was looking at creating a wall across 800 miles (1,300km) of the 3,100km stretch. Last year Mr Trump said his wall would cover 1,000 miles with natural obstacles taking care of the rest.
During his election campaign, Mr Trump had also insisted Mexico would pay for it in its entirety.
The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it. Parts will be, of necessity, see through and it was never intended to be built in areas where there is natural protection such as mountains, wastelands or tough rivers or water…..
Mr Kelly said they were now looking at alternative ways to raise funds, including via possible visa fees or renegotiating the Nafta trade deal between the US, Canada and Mexico.
In his tweet, President Trump said he still expected Mexico to pick up the costs, possibly “through longer term reimbursement”. On Wednesday, US media reported that Mr Kelly had privately told a group of Democrats from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus that President Trump had not been fully informed when he first came up with his wall plans.
US President Donald Trump has denied changing his views on the Mexico border wall.
It comes after his chief of staff, John Kelly, told Fox News that the president’s opinions had evolved since his original campaign promises about its construction and funding.
“Campaigning is very different from governing,” said Mr Kelly on Wednesday.
Hours later, the president tweeted to say Mexico would still “directly or indirectly” pay for the wall.
Immigration is a key issue between lawmakers and the White House on the eve of a possible federal government shutdown.
With a longer-term budget deal not reached, Congress faces a Friday midnight deadline to pass a stopgap measure that would fund federal agencies until next month.
Democrats want the bill to include protections for immigrants who entered the US illegally as children, known as “Dreamers”.
The Republican president had signalled he was ready to make a deal to help
the Dreamers, in return for border security funding to include a wall on the Mexican border.
Both the president and his chief of staff cited the estimated cost as $20bn (£14bn); Mr Trump had originally put the figure at $10-$12bn.
Mr Kelly said the administration was looking at creating a wall across 800 miles (1,300km) of the 3,100km stretch. Last year Mr Trump said his wall would cover 1,000 miles with natural obstacles taking care of the rest.
During his election campaign, Mr Trump had also insisted Mexico would pay for it in its entirety.
The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it. Parts will be, of necessity, see through and it was never intended to be built in areas where there is natural protection such as mountains, wastelands or tough rivers or water…..
Mr Kelly said they were now looking at alternative ways to raise funds, including via possible visa fees or renegotiating the Nafta trade deal between the US, Canada and Mexico.
In his tweet, President Trump said he still expected Mexico to pick up the costs, possibly “through longer term reimbursement”. On Wednesday, US media reported that Mr Kelly had privately told a group of Democrats from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus that President Trump had not been fully informed when he first came up with his wall plans.
