PROMISE KEPT? Donald Trump says Mexico is paying for the wall through his new trade deal

Greg P. | 8:30 AM on December 13, 2018

Well, this is certainly a stretch:

I often stated, “One way or the other, Mexico is going to pay for the Wall.” This has never changed. Our new deal with Mexico (and Canada), the USMCA, is so much better than the old, very costly & anti-USA NAFTA deal, that just by the money we save, MEXICO IS PAYING FOR THE WALL!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2018

It does sound better the way the president says it though:

"We'll create a new trade deal with Mexico that'll raise taxes that Congress can (possibly) allocate to a border wall" likely didn't sound as good in chant form. https://t.co/me84AOTD8q

— Matthew Smith (@MattSmithWXYZ) December 13, 2018

Ah yes, who can remember that catchy call and response from every Trump rally?

Trump: what are we going to do?
Crowd: build the wall!
Trump: Who's going to pay for it?
Crowd: we are, but the costs might be offset by unverifiable savings from mild tweaks to existing trade pacts https://t.co/uvWpTFYlKA

— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) December 13, 2018

Someone needs to tell pro-wall folks that the wall is already funded, too:

URGENT: Congress must pass a DHS spending bill by next Friday. This may be our LAST CHANCE to get the border wall funded. Call your three Members of Congress TODAY and urge them to fund the wall!

Contact your Representative: 202-836-6341
Contact your two Senators: 202-791-4807

— FAIR (@FAIRImmigration) December 12, 2018

You know, there are ways for Mexico to still pay for the wall:

This is kind of silly. Why not just tax remittances like Oklahoma does? (Withhold a fee & refund when you file return, so illegals are the ones who pay). https://t.co/CG0qjcNAAT

— Mark Krikorian (@MarkSKrikorian) December 13, 2018