Instead of F-35: Trump takes another $ 4 billion from the military for the wall with Mexico

The Pentagon is requesting additional funds originally earmarked for security forces and stockpiling weapons for Trump's flagship project ahead of the November election. Republicans also joined in criticism: "violates congressional constitutional authority"

Instead of F-35: Trump takes another $ 4 billion from the military for the wall with Mexico

The Pentagon has asked Congress to move about $ 4 billion from the military's budget for the erection of the border with Mexico. This is part of President Donald Trump's key promise when he was elected to the White House four years ago and ahead of the election for his second term.

Congressmen accepted the request Thursday. It includes a $ 3.8 billion allocation allocated to National Guard funding and weapons programs, such as the F-35 stealth aircraft, C-130 transport aircraft, P-8 Poseidon naval reconnaissance aircraft, "Osprey" V-22 aircraft and new shipbuilding.

Democrats in Congress, who have been opposed to the allocation of billions of dollars in military money to build the border, said the decision was dangerous and wrong. "President Trump does not once again respect separation of powers and jeopardize our confidence in taking military resources to fund his wasteful border wall," said House Speaker of the Nita Levy and Allocation Committee Chair Pete Viskoloski of the Democrats.

To erect the Mexico border wall: Native tribal burial sites were blown up

Part of the wall in the Rio Grande region (Photo: Reuters)

United States-Mexico border in the Rio Grande region, October 7, 2019 (Photo: Reuters)

The criticism was also heard from the Republican side. The senior Republican representative on the Armed Services Committee in the House of Representatives, Mac Thornberry, said the Pentagon's move "runs counter to the constitutional authority of Congress."

United States Secretary of Defense Mark Asperer defended his decision to divert billions of dollars from the Air Force's aircraft financing budget and other military programs to help pay for the Mexico border wall.

Responding to criticism from Democrats and Republicans in Congress, Asper said "border security is national security, and national security is our mission." He added that "the action we have taken is under the law, so it should not be surprising." Asfer said this on the sidelines of an international security conference in Munich.

Protect the decision. Defense Minister Asper (Photo: Reuters)

United States Secretary of Defense Mark Asper, December 20, 2019 (Photo: Reuters)

Pentagon official said Secretary of Defense Mark Asper approved $ 3.8 billion allocation to build 290 miles of border wall. Last month, the Pentagon received a request from the Trump administration to build about 435 miles of wall, at a cost of $ 5.5 billion.

Robert Sayleses, Deputy Minister of Homeland Security, said that "the transfer of funds is based on what the law allows and that the items funded are a higher priority than where they were transferred." On the other hand, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced a petition to the court against the latest budget for the construction of the wall.

The Trump administration has promised to build at least 640 miles of wall along the border with Mexico by November. In a previous 2016 election campaign, Trump said Mexico would pay for the wall, but she consistently refused to do so.

Trump's harsh immigration policy, particularly in relation to immigrants from the southern border, has characterized his campaign and his first term in the White House.