Building and funding a wall at the Mexican border remains an "important priority" for President Donald Trump, but until that happens, other resources will be used toward security the border, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Tuesday.
"Building that wall and having it funded remains an important priority to him," Conway told Fox News' "Fox & Friends" program. "We also know that that can happen later this year and into next year. And in the interim you see other smart technology and other resources and tools being used toward border security."
Monday, Trump stepped back from demanding a down payment for his border wall in must-pass spending legislation, telling a gathering of around 20 conservative media reporters he would be willing to return to the wall funding issue in September, according to two people who were in the room.
They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the get-together, which was not originally intended to be on the record.
"The president made that clear just yesterday" that funding for the wall would not be included in a budget resolution, which must be passed by Friday night or extended in order to avoid a government shutdown.
"He also reminded people that there's a flow of illegal immigrants over the border," said Conway. "There is also the flow of drugs. I don't really hear a lot of Democrats talk about that. The president has made very clear that drugs are poisoning our youth and others. He said it again just yesterday."
Conway also pointed out that since Trump took office, illegal border crossings are already down to a 17-year low.
"You know, earlier in his first 100 days, he signed an executive order that allowed better tools and resources, detention centers and the like for our border agents to have what they need to be able to do their jobs," Conway said. "You see Attorney General [Jeff] Sessions, Secretary John Kelly, down at the border together just last week, so the fact that the illegal border crossings are down so much is happening."
Meanwhile, Trump has invited all 100 senators to the White House to discuss North Korea, and at the same time, tax reform is continuing to move along.
"The president has made it very clear that he would like the corporate tax rate reduced, because overall that's how you stimulate overall growth and job creation," said Conway.
"If you reduce the tax creation on job creators it stands to reason that family's investment and they are able to attract and maintain workforce. He has made good on so many promises with respect to prosperity in first 100 days."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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