• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Border security

Trump Has Said Mexico Will Pay for the Border Wall at Least 20 Times Since 2015

By
Erin Corbett
Erin Corbett
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Erin Corbett
Erin Corbett
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 13, 2018, 1:13 PM ET

President Donald Trump has repeated the campaign rallying cry that Mexico will pay for a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border since at least 2015.

Earlier this week in a meeting with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, Trump claimed that he would “shut down the government” on Dec. 21 over border security if Congress does not approve $5 billion in funding for a border wall.

Following his heated demands, the president defaulted to his talking point that Mexico will pay for the wall, in a tweet on Thursday morning. Trump pointed to a new USMCA deal between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada and said, “MEXICO IS PAYING FOR THE WALL!”

The president has made the claim on Twitter, in interviews, and at press conferences and campaign rallies at least 20 times since April 2015.

In April 2015, he said on Twitter that the U.S. would build the border wall and “deduct costs from Mexican foreign aid.” Just days later, he made the same demand in a tweet, while also peddling a false story about ISIS operating training camps near El Paso, Texas.

During his presidential announcement speech on June 16, 2015, Trump said, “I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall.” Trump has fired up his supporters with the anti-immigrant talking point at a number of campaign rallies and in the press since then.

In August 2015, the Trump campaign released its position on immigration reform. Part of the platform was titled, “Make Mexico Pay For The Wall.” During an appearance with CBS’s Face the Nation, Trump doubled down on that policy, and said, “And, by the way, Mexico will pay for it. It’s going to be a great wall,” he added, because “I know how to build.”

In a tweet in January 2016, Trump praised political commentator Ann Coulter—who has platformed white nationalist talking points to her audience—and again said Mexico would pay for the wall.

.@AnnCoulter has been amazing. We will win and establish strong borders, we will build a WALL and Mexico will pay. We will be great again!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2016

Months later, in September he tweeted a clip from a campaign rally in Phoenix during which he again said Mexico would pay for a border wall. Within just a few hours, Trump tweeted about the border wall a second time.

Mexico will pay for the wall!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2016

In February 2016, he told supporters at a campaign rally in Florida that the “wall just got 10 feet higher” after the former Mexican president said the country would not pay for the wall.

He made the claim during a MSNBC town hall in March 2016. During a Republican retreat in January 2017 in Philadelphia, days after taking office, Trump said the U.S. “will generate revenue from Mexico that will pay for the wall.” He said the same during a joint press conference with the President Sauli Niinistö of Finland in August 2017.

In January 2018, the president told the Wall Street Journal that Mexico would pay for the wall. Earlier this year, the president told his supporters the same at a campaign rally in Nashville.

At least five other times, the president said Mexico would pay for the wall in various tweets on Jan. 6, 2017, and Jan. 8, 2017. He made the claim again on Twitter in April 2017, and then in August 2017, and January 2018.

With Mexico being one of the highest crime Nations in the world, we must have THE WALL. Mexico will pay for it through reimbursement/other.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017

Despite the president’s continued claims that Mexico will pay for a border wall, most Americans don’t see the border wall as a priority.

About the Author
By Erin Corbett
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Kevin O'Leary wears a silver and black suit with a chain of basketball cards around his neck.
AIData centers
From the Trump administration to Kevin O’Leary, there’s a new narrative that China is to blame for plummeting data center popularity
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
1 hour ago
Health care’s AI dividend is real. The fight now is over who reaps the gains
NewslettersCEO Daily
Health care’s AI dividend is real. The fight now is over who reaps the gains
By Diane BradyJune 10, 2026
1 hour ago
JB Straubel, co-founder of Tesla and founder and CEO of Redwood Materials, speaking at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2026 in Aspen, Colorado. (Photo: Michael Faas/Fortune)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Why China is outpacing the U.S. power grid
By Andrew NuscaJune 10, 2026
2 hours ago
Saudi economy redraws ambitions—‘going local’ is the new buzz phrase 
Middle EastSaudi Arabia
Saudi economy redraws ambitions—‘going local’ is the new buzz phrase 
By Melissa HancockJune 10, 2026
2 hours ago
America’s emergency oil reserve is about to hit its lowest level since Reagan was in office
EnergyIran
America’s emergency oil reserve is about to hit its lowest level since Reagan was in office
By Jordan BlumJune 10, 2026
3 hours ago
Mortgage rates today, June 10, 2026
Personal Financemortgages
Mortgage rates today, June 10, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 10, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
17 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
21 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 8, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.