President-elect Donald Trump is calling on the Biden administration to stop auctioning off unused border wall materials, a move he describes as sabotage against his incoming administration. Tons of steel bollards and fencing purchased under Trump’s first term are being sold at government surplus auctions, with bids starting as low as $5.
Video footage shows government contractors in Arizona hauling away wall materials at a rate of about half a mile per day. Border officials say the goal is to clear all remaining materials by Christmas. Critics argue the sell-off will delay Trump’s plans to expand the wall after taking office on January 20.
Joe Biden is a vindictive bitter old man selling off COMPLETED "Bollard Wall" panels as scrap.
Already welded, already filled with concrete, already in place by the border, and ALREADY PAID FOR.
Starting bids are $5. pic.twitter.com/JnmmHM3RdV— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) December 12, 2024
Trump took to his social media platform, Truth, to denounce the sales. “Joe Biden keeps talking about a smooth transition and unified government, and yet he races to sell desperately needed border wall for pennies on the dollar. It is CRAZY, and must be stopped,” he wrote, warning that replacing the materials will cost taxpayers significantly more.
Republicans have slammed the auction as wasteful and politically motivated. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, demanding the sales cease immediately. “This deliberate sabotage recoups less than 0.02% of the taxpayer money used to secure these materials,” Schmitt wrote. He emphasized the importance of these resources in addressing record levels of illegal immigration.
Biden to auction off apx 250 miles of border wall at $10,000 loss per panel to facilitate open borders, and the inept border policy @SecMayorkas has been peddling for 4 years. pic.twitter.com/bUtIkyDqBA
— Robert Newcomb – Irregular/Asymmetric Warfare & AI (@DefendUtah) December 13, 2024
The sell-off comes as Republicans blame Biden’s border policies for exacerbating the immigration crisis. Many view the auctioning of border wall supplies as a symbol of the administration’s failure to prioritize national security.
Biden Administration has auctioned off the rest of ALL border wall parts. Pennies on the dollar were brought in out of the $2 billion you spent to buy the materials.
Biden=worst Pres. ever! pic.twitter.com/NgOxfo8WC9— Permitfisher (@Permitfisher32) December 13, 2024
With Trump poised to retake office, the controversy highlights the challenges his administration will face in addressing border security amid what Republicans see as a deliberate effort to undermine his agenda.
