President Trump joined those mocking CNN’s Jim Acosta Thursday after the reporter posted a video of himself on Twitter at the border where he said it was calm and not the “national emergency situation” the administration had been saying. Acosta, however, was walking along a steel slat barrier, which seemed to prove the president’s point.
“Dear Diary…” the president wrote retweeting Acosta’s message.
Dear Diary... https://t.co/NAuMaQW6fl
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2019
As Cortney reported, social media lit up after Acosta tweeted the video, with many pointing out to him that he was showing the efficacy of border structures.
Jim Acosta just posted one of the biggest self owns ever.
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) January 10, 2019
He's walking along the border where there's a wall in place talking about how there's nothing that "resembles a national emergency situation" and "there's no migrants trying to rush."
That's because there's a wall, Jim. https://t.co/qkuWRhxolW
So where there are steel slats, there isn't an emergency crisis. Got it. https://t.co/q5IJcDJZo1
— Jake Wilkins (@JakeWilkns) January 10, 2019
Acosta later defended his video by featuring a couple residents of McAllen, Texas, who say the community is safe.
Nadine has lived in the McAllen area about a decade. She says it’s safe here and hasn’t seen people coming across the border causing crime and mayhem. pic.twitter.com/EIaFAYhHgR
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 10, 2019
Jose has lived here in the McAllen TX area his whole life. He also tells me it is very safe here. pic.twitter.com/GHRlW8nKf4
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 10, 2019
The steel slats don’t run the entire length of the border in the McAllen area. We found one part where there is a chain link fence. Occasionally migrants come thru but residents say their community is quite safe. pic.twitter.com/ivpPl0XT48
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 10, 2019
Trump wants $5.7 billion for a border wall and security. Democrats have refused to negotiate, however, leading the federal government to partially shut down.
In an interview with Fox News's Sean Hannity Thursday, President Trump said he has the "absolute right" to declare a national emergency to build the wall if congressional Democrats refuse to budge.