Pentagon OKs military construction cash to build border wall

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Mark Esper has approved the use of $3.6 billion in funding from military construction projects to build 175 miles of President Donald Trump’s wall along the Mexican border.

FILE – In this March 11, 2019 photo, construction crews replace a section of the primary wall separating San Diego, above right, and Tijuana, Mexico, below left, seen from Tijuana, Mexico. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has approved the use of $3.6 billion in funding from military construction projects to build 175 miles of President Donald Trump’s wall along the Mexican border. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

Pentagon officials would not say which 127 projects will affected, but say details will be available tomorrow after members of Congress are notified.

They say half the money will come from military projects in the U.S., and the rest will come from projects in other countries.

Elaine McCusker, the Pentagon comptroller, says the money will be used to build 11 border projects.

Trump declared a national emergency in order to use military construction and other federal funds to build the wall after Congress provided only a portion of the $5.7 billion the president wanted for the barrier. /gsg