President Donald Trump issued a threat on Thanksgiving to shut down the entire southern border with Mexico if the migrant situation gets out of control. “If we find that it gets to a level where we’re going to lose control or people are going to start getting hurt, we will close entry into the country for a period of time until we can get it under control,” he said. Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said he had signed an order two days ago allowing the border to be sealed, adding that “I’ve already shut down parts of the border.”

The commander in chief made clear he wasn’t just referring to migrant flows but also trade. “The whole border,” he continued. “I mean the whole border. And Mexico will not be able to sell their cars into the United States where they make so many cars at great benefit to them, not at great benefit to us.” The White House hasn’t released any order and when a reporter asked to see it he said it wasn’t “that big of a deal.”

After Trump breaks significant news by claiming he signed an order to "shut down the border" two days ago, a reporter asks him if the public can see a copy of it.



Trump immediately backtracks, saying, "ah, you don't need it. It's not that big of a deal." pic.twitter.com/s6CB7HMTZa — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 22, 2018

Trump also confirmed he has given the green light for U.S. troops along the border to “use lethal force” if necessary. “If they have to, they’re going to use lethal force. I’ve given the OK,” Trump said. “If they have to—I hope they don’t have to.” Trump said he had “no choice’ because there are “a minimum of 500 serious criminals” in the caravan currently making its way to the United States.

President Trump: “If [border troops] have to, they’re going to use lethal force. I’ve — I’ve given the OK. If they have to. I hope they don’t have to." https://t.co/gee0dsaGsV pic.twitter.com/37U5IgZuP7 — The Hill (@thehill) November 22, 2018

Trump also told reporters there “certainly could’ be a governmnet shutdown in early December over border security. Trump has threatened to veto spending bills if Congress doesn’t pass funding to build the wall along the southern border