(NewsNation) — President-elect Donald Trump has called out President Joe Biden as his administration sells off unused border materials following Congress and House mandates.
On Monday, at his first news conference since winning the election, Trump called on the Biden administration to stop selling unused border wall material.
“We spent a tremendous amount of money in building the wall. The administration is trying to sell it for five cents on the dollar, knowing that we’re getting ready to put it up,” Trump said.
“It’s almost a criminal act. They know we’re going to use it, and if we don’t have it, we’re going to have to rebuild it.”
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The criticism comes despite Congress mandating the sale or disposal of unused materials after the National Defense Authorization Act passed last year.
Section 2890 of the National Defense Authorization Act states the Department of Defense must “submit to Congress a plan to use, transfer, or donate certain construction materials in the possession of the federal government to states on the U.S.-Mexico border for uses including refurbishing and maintaining ports of entry and stopping illicit human and vehicle traffic along the border.”
Dan Patrick, the lieutenant governor of Texas, weighed in on the matter via X last Friday.
“The Texas Facilities Commission told us today that the material for sale was mostly junk, with most panels covered in concrete and rust,” he wrote. “There were a few panels that might be usable but not worth the cost of shipping to Texas from Arizona.
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“In short, this was a Biden ruse to gain favor with the radical left open border crowd, showing Biden was fighting President Trump to the bitter end. Rest assured, if they sell any panels that make economic sense, we will buy them and give them to President Trump when he takes office.”
The Pentagon has said about 60% of the materials have gone to organizations such as Customs and Border Protection, as well as some border states. Those not purchased are currently being auctioned off.
