PA ImagesDonald Trump has spent a long time bragging about his ‘virtually impenetrable’ border wall, but it turns out it’s not that difficult to conquer as it got bested by a $100 saw.
The wall was one of the most controversial parts about Trump’s presidential campaign, as he vowed to build the physical border between the US and Mexico to prevent immigrants entering North America illegally.
The POTUS had high hopes for the success of his wall, and even asked to fortify it with a ‘water-filled trench stocked with snakes or alligators’ to ensure it served its purpose.
PA ImagesSpeaking on his campaign trial, Trump declared:
I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me.
Unfortunately for the over-confident president, however, it’s been proved time and again the wall can be overcome.
According to the Washington Post, US agents and officials have revealed smuggling gangs in Mexico have repeatedly sawed through new sections of Trump’s border wall in recent months, opening gaps large enough for people and drug to pass through – immediately rendering Trump’s whole wall idea pointless.
PA The people behind the damage didn’t need any particularly technical or industrial-sized equipment to defeat the structure, either. They reportedly used a popular cordless household tool known as a reciprocating saw, which is available at shops for as little as $100.
When fitted with specialised blades, the saws can slice through one of the barrier’s steel-and-concrete bollards in minutes. Once a bollard has been cut, smugglers can push the steel out of the way to create an adult-size gap.
If nobody builds wall better than Trump, and the border wall has been bested by a $100 saw, then the president must build a pretty poor wall. Just saying.
The Fantasy:“I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me,” said Donald Trump.
The Reality: Smugglers are sawing through new sections in a matter of minutes using a popular cordless saw!— Sieglinde Friedman (@sigiriedman) November 3, 2019
Trump responded to the news on Saturday, November 2, admitting the wall was not impenetrable as he’s previously stated, Politico reports.
He commented:
We have a very powerful wall. But no matter how powerful, you can cut through anything, in all fairness. But we have a lot of people watching.
You know cutting, cutting is one thing, but it’s easily fixed. One of the reasons we did it the way we did it, it’s very easily fixed. You put the chunk back in.
PAThe US government has not disclosed the cutting incidents and breaches, so it’s unclear how many times they have occurred.
Ronald Vitiello, the former US Border Patrol chief who was acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement until his removal in April, said drug cartels will continue to come up with ways to get through the wall, even as construction becomes more advanced.
He said:
The cartels will continue to innovate, and they’re not just going to leave San Diego because the wall gets better. That’s life on the border.
Trump should really be embarrassed about having his declarations about the wall proved wrong, but he’s spouted so much false information in his time it’s clear he doesn’t care about fake news – unless it’s being directed at him, of course.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.