Donald Trump tries to pick a fight with even more countries
“President” Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he planned to cut off humanitarian aid to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Dictator Donnie apparently thinks he has such powers, working with his wingman, Mick “the dick” Mulvaney. Trump stated, “We were paying them tremendous amounts of money. And we’re not paying them anymore. Because they haven’t done a thing for us. They set up these caravans.”
A State Department spokesperson confirmed that aid would be cut off, noting that “At the Secretary’s instruction, we are carrying out the President’s direction and ending FY 2017 and FY 2018 foreign assistance programs for the Northern Triangle. We will be engaging Congress as part of this process.”
Congress will not go along with this, or at least the House will not. Trump is mistaken in this approach. Problems are not solved by cutting off aid so that those receiving it suffer. And cutting off aid to a country because its people are fleeing is akin to cutting off drug interdiction treatments and funding in places such as West Virginia because the state has not controlled its serious opioid crisis. Or like cutting off police funding to a city because the murder rate is rising.
After announcing the inhumane process of cutting off aid to these countries, Trump went to Twitter, tweeting about the issue: “It would be so easy to fix our weak and very stupid Democrat inspired immigration laws. In less than one hour, and then a vote, the problem would be solved. But the Dems don’t care about the crime, they don’t want any victory for Trump and the Republicans, even if good for USA! Mexico must use its very strong immigration laws to stop the many thousands of people trying to get into the USA. Our detention areas are maxed out & we will take no more illegals. Next step is to close the Border! This will also help us with stopping the Drug flow from Mexico!”
Donald Trump must be dipping into his stash again, because he’s apparently forgotten about the immigration compromise that the Democrats offered in 2017, which he rejected because Stephen Miller’s racist self did not want to give the Democrats anything. Nobody knows how Trump will accomplish closing the border, but perhaps he thinks it is like a Taco Bell franchise, with its old slogan, “Make a run for the border.” It is impossible and will not cut off any drug flow.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.