Trump concedes border wall construction is replacement and 'pure renovation'
Source: Politico
By CAITLIN OPRYSKO 05/22/2019 08:48 AM EDT Updated 05/22/2019 09:16 AM EDT
President Donald Trump pushed back Wednesday against “haters” who say he is making little headway on his signature campaign promise of building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, though he admitted that much of the work currently being done was “pure renovation.”
“Much of the Wall being built at the Southern Border is a complete demolition and rebuilding of old and worthless barriers with a brand new Wall and footings. Problem is, the Haters say that is not a new Wall, but rather a renovation. Wrong, and we must build where most needed,” he wrote on Twitter. “Also, tremendous work is being done on pure renovation - fixing existing Walls that are in bad condition and ineffective, and bringing them to a very high standard!”
Trump oversaw the longest government shutdown in history earlier this year, an impasse created by his insistence on wall funding. His administration also remains mired in a legal battle over his attempt to skirt Congress to secure funding for his proposed border wall by declaring a national emergency.
The president has frequently touted the progress on his wall — much of which he’s portrayed as new construction, even though it is not. Trump has also occasionally acknowledged that current wall construction is mostly replacement work.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/22/trump-mexico-border-wall-immigration-1338452
= new reply since forum marked as read
"A May 20 report by Customs and Border Protection on the status of the border wall specified that the $1.5 billion in 2018 funding is being used to update or build 80 miles of the border wall."
But I get your dutiful fiduciary concern for the absurd... we have to hang our hats on something. 
