Trump hails border bill's failure, vows 'deportation operation'

Donald Trump hailed the failure of legislation aimed at tackling the migrant crisis at the US-Mexico border, while threatening to launch a massive "deportation operation" on day one if re-elected. from his mandate.
The bipartisan bill's death in the US Senate this week underscores the former president's iron grip on the Republican Party. Her representatives agreed with his desire to deny Biden a victory on immigration.
"Let's not forget that this week we had another huge victory that every conservative should celebrate. We defeated the crook Joe Biden's disastrous open borders bill," Trump said at a rally in South Carolina, AFP reported.
"The whole group did a great job in Congress. We crushed it," he added.
Under pressure from Trump, who wants to capitalize on Biden's perceived weakness on immigration, Republican lawmakers appear to have decided they would prefer to hold off on any border reform until after the November election.
Trump, whose first presidential campaign included building a "big, beautiful wall" on the US-Mexico border as a central plank, said today that deporting migrants would be one of his first tasks.
"On day one, I will end any open border policy of the Biden administration and we will begin the largest internal deportation operation in American history. We have no other choice," the former president stressed.
The Senate's border bill included aid for Ukraine and Israel, but after Republicans rejected it on Wednesday, the bailout program for US allies appeared dead.
The upper house of parliament is now considering a foreign aid package that completely separates aid from the border issue.
The $95 billion package, to be discussed next week, includes funding for Israel's fight against Hamas militants and a key strategic ally, Taiwan. The lion's share, however, will help pro-Western Ukraine replenish its depleted stocks of ammunition, weapons and other vital necessities as it enters its third year of war.
Pay your bill
Trump has raised concerns about aid to Ukraine and NATO, often saying it is unfair for the United States to commit to the defense of other countries of the 31-member alliance.
Today he went even further, saying he would "encourage" Russia to attack any member country that defaults on its financial obligations.
Speaking about an unspecified NATO meeting, Trump described a conversation with a fellow head of state.
"One of the presidents of a great country stood up and said, 'Well, sir, if we don't pay and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?' I said, 'You haven't paid, have you defaulted?' No, I wouldn't protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever they want. You have to pay yourself. You have to pay your bills."
At the rally, Trump also threatened Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations, who is also seeking the GOP nomination, though her bid is almost certainly doomed as she trails her former boss in the race.
Addressing voters in Haley's home state, Trump questioned the whereabouts of her husband Michael, who has not been seen on the campaign trail as he is away on a year-long military mission in the Horn of Africa country of Djibouti.
"Where's her husband? Oh, he's far away. He's far away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband?" he said, raising his voice for dramatic effect.
Hailey fired back on social network X.
"Michael was sent to serve our country, but you don't understand any of that. Someone who consistently shows disrespect for the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander-in-chief," she said. /BGNES