I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!" President Donald Trump tweeted. | Chip Comodevilla/Getty Image white house Trump threatens military closure of Southern border to block migrants

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to order the military to close the U.S.-Mexico border if the flow of migrants making their way northward toward the U.S. is not stopped.

"I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught — and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!" Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday morning.


Trump also hinted that the new trade deal reached by the U.S., Mexico and Canada could be in jeopardy if Mexico doesn't take steps to stem the tide of immigrants traversing the country en route to the U.S.

"The assault on our country at our Southern Border, including the Criminal elements and DRUGS pouring in, is far more important to me, as President, than Trade or the USMCA," Trump tweeted. "Hopefully Mexico will stop this onslaught at their Northern Border. All Democrats fault for weak laws!"

A Pentagon spokesperson did not immediately return a request for further details regarding the president's threat to use the military to close down the nation's southern border.

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The president's complaints come as a caravan of nearly 4,000 Honduran migrants is making its way north through Guatemala toward Mexico en route to the U.S. NBC News reported Wednesday that the Mexican government sent an additional 500 federal police officers to its southern border ahead of the caravan's arrival.

Honduras is among the world's most dangerous countries, among the world's top 10 in terms of homicide rates per capita.

Trump also said that he is "watching the Democrat Party led (because they want Open Borders and existing weak laws) assault on our country by Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador."

He said that the leaders of the Central American countries are "doing little to stop this large flow of people, INCLUDING MANY CRIMINALS, from entering Mexico to U.S." and has threatened to stop aid to those countries.