President Trump on Wednesday used a deadly terror attack at a Christmas market in France to again urge Democrats to fund his long-promised wall along the US-Mexico border — though the suspected gunman is French born, not an immigrant.
A massive manhunt is underway for Cherif Chekatt, 29, a radicalized Islamist who shouted “Allahu akbar!” — Arabic for “God is great” — as he gunned down three people and wounded more than a dozen others in Strasbourg on Tuesday, officials said.
“Another very bad terror attack in France. We are going to strengthen our borders even more. Chuck and Nancy must give us the votes to get additional Border Security!” the president tweeted.
Less than 24 hours earlier, Trump publicly sparred with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in the Oval Office about border security.
During their testy exchange, Trump said he would be “proud” to shut down the government in the name of border security. If he follows through on his threat, about 25 percent of the federal government would begin to run out of money Dec. 21.
Trump is demanding $5 billion for the wall, but Democrats have offered no more than $1.3 billion.
The president at one point during the heated showdown boasted that “a lot of the wall is built” and that “it’s been very effective,” though only prototypes have so far been built.
“The Democrats and President Obama gave Iran 150 Billion Dollars and got nothing, but they can’t give 5 Billion Dollars for National Security and a Wall?” Trump said in a separate tweet, referring to Iranian assets unfrozen by the US as part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
In exchange for lifting sanctions, the US and five other countries obtained an agreement from Iran to curtail parts of its nuclear power program, as well as a pledge to never acquire nukes.
But the actual amount of money returned to Iran under the agreement was much lower than the $150 billion stated by Trump, the Washington Post reported, citing government officials and independent economists.
