{"id":29677,"date":"2019-08-28T20:25:44","date_gmt":"2019-08-28T20:25:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/08\/28\/secdef-declines-to-speculate-whether-the-military-is-going-to-build-the-border-wall-itself\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T10:54:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T10:54:26","slug":"secdef-declines-to-speculate-whether-the-military-is-going-to-build-the-border-wall-itself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/management\/leadership\/2019\/08\/28\/secdef-declines-to-speculate-whether-the-military-is-going-to-build-the-border-wall-itself\/","title":{"rendered":"DoD has obligated $450 million since April 2018 to send troops to US-Mexico border"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Two days after Defense Secretary Mark Esper<\/a> approved the use of Defense Department funds<\/a> to build 20 more miles of barrier along the U.S. border with Mexico, the Pentagon boss declined to comment on the possibility that President Donald Trump\u2019s border security project could end up completely funded and overseen by the military<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The signed decision, part of a court filing submitted by the Trump administration, is the latest allocation of DoD resources to help with wall construction, as Trump and lawmakers have not secured funds beyond an initial $1.4 billion allocated by Congress early this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe reason why we were able to do another 20 miles was because the [Army] Corps of Engineers successfully negotiated lower prices than expected, which freed up money to do more miles. It was as simple as that,” he said Wednesday in his first on-camera briefing at the Pentagon, more than a year since a defense secretary has taken questions from the press in that setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esper could not provide a total tally on the amount of military funds that have been shifted to support the Homeland Security Department in its border protection efforts, both construction costs and security support from troops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In March, in his former role as Army secretary, Esper signed off on shifting $1 billion from the Army\u2019s personnel account to help fund the wall. In May, DoD freed up another $1.5 billion, which had been set aside for aid to Afghan security forces, to fund nearly 80 miles of the barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It \u201cwould be speculation,\u201d he told Military Times, to say whether the barrier could end up being completely funded and overseen by the Pentagon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To date, billions of dollars have been poured into wall construction, while thousands of U.S. troops have deployed to the border to assist Customs and Border Patrol in surveillance, as well as intake and detention of migrants, along the border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur response in terms of providing more resources, more troops, depends on DHS needs,” Esper said. \u201cAnd we look at them on a case-by-case basis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t