Donald Trump says he wants to see 2,000 to 4,000 National Guard troops on Mexican border

David Jackson | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump talks China, EU trade in West Virginia U.S. President Donald Trump told a crowd in West Virginia that the U.S. and China will have a "fantastic relationship" in the long term. Trump also complained about trade with the European Union. (April 5)

After making dubious claims about immigration and voter fraud during a tax cut event in West Virginia, President Trump said Thursday he would like to see 2,000 to 4,000 National Guard troops deployed along the Mexican border for an indefinite length of time.

“Anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that "we’ll probably keep them or a large portion of them” in place until an anti-migration wall is built on the border.

There is no timetable for the wall; Trump spoke a day after he signed a proclamation authorizing his administration to work with border state governors on the details of a National Guard deployment.

Critics, pointing out that illegal border crossings are down, called the proposed deployment an unnecessary waste of resources. "Putting National Guard troops on the border has proven to be very costly and only takes them away from other pressing needs," said Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio.

The Pentagon said officials had not yet determined how many troops would be deployed to support border security operations. “That will all be determined by the requirements that are given to us,” Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said Thursday.

Trump suggested a troop number after attending a tax cut event in which he he gave remarks on just about everything but taxes, including unproven claims of voter fraud and alleged migrant violence.

Throwing away prepared remarks he described as "boring" — literally tossing a piece of paper in the air — Trump instead spoke to supporters in West Virginia about a now-disbanded caravan of migrants traveling through Mexico, the menace of "sanctuary cities" in the United States, and the dangers of the MS-13 gang of criminals.

The president also riffed on (unfounded) allegations of voter fraud in California, the development of "clean, beautiful coal" in West Virginia, and what he called the need for Republican wins in the November congressional elections.

Democrats are believed to to have a good chance to re-take the U.S. House and Senate, and West Virginia has a key Senate race.

To be sure, Trump praised his tax cut plan, especially during a question-and-answer session with officials gathered in White Sulphur Springs. He said they have helped revived the economy and allowed Americans to keep more of their money.

But other comments drew more attention, particularly his claims about immigration and alleged voter fraud.

Trump, who lost the 2016 popular vote to Hillary Clinton largely because of a 3.5 million vote defeat in California, singled out that state during a tirade in which he claimed that Democrats support illegal immigration because they want more voters.

"In many places, like California, the same person votes many times," Trump said. " You probably heard about that. They always like to say, 'Oh that's a conspiracy theory.' Not a conspiracy theory, folks. Millions and millions of people."

There is no evidence behind Trump's theory.

Trump also made unfounded claims about migrant behavior, claiming at one point that “women are raped at levels nobody’s ever seen before."

As the administration works with state governors to deploy National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump has amped up his criticism of the U.S. immigration system. The renewed rhetoric came after supporters criticized Trump for signing a spending bill that did not include money for his proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall.

In discussing elections with West Virginia voters, Trump took time to attack one of the top Republican targets this fall: Local incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin.

While he and Manchin are friendly with each other — "he grabs me; I grab him; he says hello; I say hello" — Trump told the friendly crowd that the West Virginia Democrat "votes against everything, and he voted against our tax cuts ... and he also voted against medical help and health care and that's bad. And we can't have it."

Manchin has been a leader in helping get health care for sufferers of black lung, an affliction that strikes coal miners, and voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act.

Manchin resounded by saying Trump failed to respond to key questions. Among them: “What will the 200,000 West Virginians do when they lose health care coverage. How much will Republicans cut from Medicare and Social Security?”

Said Manchin: “Instead of the political posturing back and forth, West Virginians deserve answers.”

As in many public appearances, Trump also took aim at the news media, in this case decrying news reports in which aides discuss the president's habit of watching cable television news.

"I do not watch much television," Trump told the crowd. "People that don’t know me, they like to say I watch television — people with fake sources. You know, fake reporters, fake sources."

Trump routinely sends tweets that refer to shows he saw on cable news, usually Fox News Channel but other channels, too, such as CNN.

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