Saying his border wall is the "least important" topic
The transcripts say that Trump told Peña Nieto that the border wall is "the least important thing we are talking about, but politically this might be the most important."
This is a startling admission from a president who at rallies led his supporters in chants of "build the wall."
But the wall was important to his base. Although it has not been popular nationally — a February poll from the Pew Research Center found that 62 percent of Americans oppose such a wall — it polled well among conservative Republicans, with 80 percent approving.
Asking Peña Nieto to stop talking about not paying for the wall
Trump repeatedly assured his supporters that Mexico would pay for the border wall. Peña Nieto disagreed; on Jan. 25, the Mexican president told his nation in a televised address that they "would not pay" for the wall, according to The Los Angeles Times.
In the call with Peña Nieto on Jan. 27, Trump asked him to knock it off: "If you are going to say that Mexico is not going to pay for the wall, then I do not want to meet with you guys anymore because I cannot live with that."
Trump also said he had to push for Mexico to pay for the wall because he had promised it for so long.
"I have to have Mexico pay for the wall — I have to," he said. "I have been talking about it for a two-year period."
Other quotes reported by the Post indicate that Trump was vague about how exactly the funding of the border wall would work. He said that the funding for it "will work out in the formula somehow" and that it would "come out in the wash," according to the Post.
On the wall itself, Peña Nieto stood firm. "My position has been and will continue to be very firm, saying that Mexico cannot pay for the wall," he said. However, the Postalso writes that he eventually relented on talking about the wall, agreeing to "stop talking about the wall."
In a Jan. 27 statement, the White House had acknowledged the two presidents' clashing opinions on the topic of the wall: "With respect to payment for the border wall, both presidents recognize their clear and very public differences of positions on this issue but have agreed to work these differences out as part of a comprehensive discussion on all aspects of the bilateral relationship."
More: Transcripts: Trump Told Mexican President Border Wall Is 'Least Important Thing'
What do Trump supporters say about this? Do they mind being hoodwinked?
The transcripts say that Trump told Peña Nieto that the border wall is "the least important thing we are talking about, but politically this might be the most important."
This is a startling admission from a president who at rallies led his supporters in chants of "build the wall."
But the wall was important to his base. Although it has not been popular nationally — a February poll from the Pew Research Center found that 62 percent of Americans oppose such a wall — it polled well among conservative Republicans, with 80 percent approving.
Asking Peña Nieto to stop talking about not paying for the wall
Trump repeatedly assured his supporters that Mexico would pay for the border wall. Peña Nieto disagreed; on Jan. 25, the Mexican president told his nation in a televised address that they "would not pay" for the wall, according to The Los Angeles Times.
In the call with Peña Nieto on Jan. 27, Trump asked him to knock it off: "If you are going to say that Mexico is not going to pay for the wall, then I do not want to meet with you guys anymore because I cannot live with that."
Trump also said he had to push for Mexico to pay for the wall because he had promised it for so long.
"I have to have Mexico pay for the wall — I have to," he said. "I have been talking about it for a two-year period."
Other quotes reported by the Post indicate that Trump was vague about how exactly the funding of the border wall would work. He said that the funding for it "will work out in the formula somehow" and that it would "come out in the wash," according to the Post.
On the wall itself, Peña Nieto stood firm. "My position has been and will continue to be very firm, saying that Mexico cannot pay for the wall," he said. However, the Postalso writes that he eventually relented on talking about the wall, agreeing to "stop talking about the wall."
In a Jan. 27 statement, the White House had acknowledged the two presidents' clashing opinions on the topic of the wall: "With respect to payment for the border wall, both presidents recognize their clear and very public differences of positions on this issue but have agreed to work these differences out as part of a comprehensive discussion on all aspects of the bilateral relationship."
More: Transcripts: Trump Told Mexican President Border Wall Is 'Least Important Thing'
What do Trump supporters say about this? Do they mind being hoodwinked?
