Biden administration to return Trump’s border wall money to Pentagon accounts – By Niels Lesniewski (Roll Call) / April 30 2021
Administration will also seek to address erosion, flooding risk
The Pentagon has begun the process of canceling contracts for border wall construction that used funds diverted from other Defense Department accounts by the Trump administration.
A Biden administration official said in a statement that to the extent possible, what remains of the more than $14 billion tied up in border wall projects would be restored for use as Congress intended.
“To build a wall along the southern border, the previous Administration redirected billions of dollars Congress provided for supporting American troops and their families, and for purchasing military vehicles, aircraft, and ships,” the official said in a statement. “The Biden Administration is committed to upholding the rule of law, and properly equipping American troops and caring for their families.”
The Pentagon said that deferred military construction projects could be resumed using the funds transferred back from the border wall project. Deputy spokesman Jamal Brown said in a statement that the department “has begun taking all necessary actions to cancel border barrier projects and to coordinate with interagency partners.”
