Trump Says He May ‘Call Up More Military’ To Border With Mexico

President Trump said Wednesday he may send more troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to deal with the spike in migrant families entering the country.

“I’m going to have to call up more military,” Trump said during an impromptu appearance at a Texas political fundraiser with people who said they have dealt firsthand with the surge in migration.

A further increase in U.S. troops at the border is the latest in a string of controversial proposals the Trump administration has floated to address what it calls a crisis the southern border.

Roughly 2,350 active-duty troops were at the border as of January, when acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced plansto send back thousands more and extend their deployment through September. Trump first deployed troops to the border last fall to assist Border Patrol in addressing a migrant caravan traveling from Central America.

he bashed Democrats for refusing to pass stricter laws and predicted the issue would be a major factor in his reelection race.

“I think they will pay a very big price in 2020 for all of the things, whether it is the fake witch hunt they start out or whether it is a situation like this,” he said, referring to the Russia investigation. “I think the border is going to be an incredible issue.”