Trump: Wall ahead of schedule despite ‘Democrat Obstruction’

President Trump on Friday asserted that his planned border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border was already under construction and claimed that the project would be completed despite resistance from congressional Democrats.

{mosads}In a tweet, the president blamed “Democrat obstruction” for delays in the wall’s construction, adding that the project would have a “big impact” on law enforcement efforts at the border.

“The Wall is being built and is well under construction,” Trump tweeted. “Big impact will be made. Many additional contracts are close to being signed. Far ahead of schedule despite all of the Democrat Obstruction and Fake News!”

The Wall is being built and is well under construction. Big impact will be made. Many additional contracts are close to being signed. Far ahead of schedule despite all of the Democrat Obstruction and Fake News!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 8, 2019

Trump has repeatedly insisted that parts of his border wall project are already under construction, despite his battles with Congress to obtain funding for the project that ended with a national emergency declaration and a promise from the president to find the funding elsewhere.

Video from El Paso, Texas, shows that some existing fencing is being replaced with new designs, but there is no indication that construction of fencing or a wall in previously unoccupied areas has begun.

Construction of the new designs in El Paso alone is expected to last through 2022 and cost $22 million.

The White House has repeatedly stated that Trump will find funding for the project if Congress refuses to do so.

“In 21 days President @realDonaldTrump is moving forward building the wall with or without the Democrats. The only outstanding question is whether the Democrats want something or nothing,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted in January.

After failing to get funding for the barrier in a spending bill last month, Trump declared a national emergency and said he would move funds from the Department of Defense to build the wall.

The move has faced pushback from Republicans and Democrats and has led to a number of legal challenges.