Trump administration planning to divert $7.2 billion funds from Pentagon for border wall

The Trump administration is planning to divert an additional $7.2 billion funds from the Department of Defence for the construction of the wall along the US-Mexico border. According to international media reports, this would be the second time the money would be diverted from the Pentagon to the construction of the wall if Trump administration gives a go-ahead.

The reports suggest that the administration will take $3.5 billion from the Department of Defence's counterdrug program, while another $3.7 billion from military construction funding.

Read: Pentagon Watchdog Investigating $400M Border Wall Contract

US-Mexico border wall controversy

Last year, the administration diverted over $6.1 billion from the Department of Defence after Donald Trump declared a state of emergency in February.

If the administration decides to go forward with the plan and divert the funds allocated by the Congress to the Pentagon, it would be a classic case of bypassing lawmakers in an attempt to deliver on a promise made during the election campaign.

However, this would not be the first time when a diversion of funds has taken place in the Trump administration. In 2019, the White House diverted $2.5 billion from counternarcotics and $3.6 billion from military construction funding for Trump's ambitious project. 

Read: US Judge Rules Against Transfer Of $3.6 Billion Funds To Mexican Border Wall

Legal controversies surrounded Donald Trump last year after he announced that he is planning to divert $3.6 billion funds from Pentagon construction projects for the construction of the wall. The announcement drew a spate of lawsuits and widespread criticism from the Congress.

The Supreme Court of the United States in July ruled that the president had the authority to take the decision. Last week, Trump registered a small victory when the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, in New Orleans reversed the order of a federal court in El Paso, Texas, which had given a ruling to freeze the $3.6 billion because the Congress had designated it for other projects.  

Read: US Government Ramps Up Effort To Acquire Private Lands In Texas For Border Wall

United States government has built around 160 km (101 miles) of the wall so far since Donald Trump took office in 2016. The US is planning to complete its goal of building almost 885 miles, which is about 1,424 km of the wall along its Mexico border by 2020.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has said that the agency is planning to build around 724 km of the wall by the end of 2020 and another 95 km will be under construction.

Read: Trump Gets Approval To Use $3.6 Biilion For Mexico Border Wall