Joe Scarborough said Donald Trump and the Republican Party are to blame for the “onslaught” that took place at the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday as migrants took down fencing in El Paso, Texas following Trump’s involvement in the failure of a bipartisan immigration bill.
Scarborough pointed to Trump’s own words at a January campaign event, in which the former president said, “I notice a lot of the Senators are trying to say — respectfully, they are blaming it on me. I say, ‘That’s OK, please blame it on me, please.’ Because they were getting ready to pass a very bad bill.”
Holding up a copy of the New York Post, Scarborough began, “An issue that would normally hurt Democrats. A social issue. It, of course, on the front page of the newspaper.”
The Post described its front-page photo with the headline: “Onslaught: Moment illegal migrants rush border guard tear down fence.”
Scarborough noted that immigration hadn’t been a decisive political issue in the last several election cycles. “If I were a Democrat running for office, I would do this — I’d be carrying it around all day: ‘Look at what the Republicans are doing to you,’” Scarborough said.
He continued: “The only thing the Post didn’t tell you is Donald Trump said, ‘Blame me for this.’ Donald Trump said, ‘Kill the bill and blame me for everything that happens after this point.’”
From Scarborough’s point of view, he felt this wouldn’t have happened if not for Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson disrupting the bill’s progress by saying it would be “dead on arrival at the House.” At the previously mentioned January event, Trump said, “As the leader of our party there is zero chance I will support this horrible open borders betrayal of America. It’s not going to happen.”
The legislation sought to address border-related issues, including strengthening border security, infrastructure and a process for obtaining U.S. legal status.
“Yes, Donald. We are blaming you,” Scarborough said. “We’re blaming Mini-Me Mike Johnson for following your orders. We’re blaming Republicans, who begged for a tough border bill, but like the Wall Street Journal editorial page said, ‘Wouldn’t take ‘Yes’ for an answer.’ So yes, there is an onslaught on the southern border still and it’s all Donald Trump’s fault. You know who says that? Donald Trump. Donald Trump says blame him for this, so we will.”
Watch the full clip in the video at the top of this page.
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