AUSTIN – Jeremy Wallace, Houston Chronicle:
In a conference room at the Department of Public Safety’s Weslaco Regional Office
At 12:07 CST President Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott entered the conference room.
“What a pleasure to have President Trump back in Texas,” Abbott said.
He says border was secure under Trump but now says its “amazing and disastrous.”
Abbott says Kamala Harris is “misleading America” by making it sound like the issue is due only to northern triangle countries. Says there are people crossing from 150 different countries around the world.
“They’re missing the point,” Abbott said.
Abbott says “lives are being turned upside down” for people who live near the border. Says ranchers homes have been invaded.
Abbott says its all “far more dangerous situation.”
Abbott turns over to Steve McCraw, Director of Department of Public Safety, who tells Trump that cartels are teaming up with gangs in the U.S. and doing everything to exploit the new situation at the border.
Next Bill Waybourn, Tarrant County Sheriff tells Trump that fetnyl overdoses as far away as his county are due to border security. Says drugs are flowing from Mexico.
Benny Martinez, Brooks County Sheriff, tells Trump that they are overwhelmed chasing illegal immigrants. Says they are uncovering many more dead bodies of migrants than when Trump was in office.
“We just don’t have the resources,” Martinez said.
Trump then begins speaking around 12:29 p.m. CST
Says he’s proud to endorse Abbott for re-election but says poll numbers are already through the roof.
Says the border went from the “best ever” but then sidetracks into “Russia, Russia Russia”
Says they built 500 miles of wall despite two and a half years of lawsuits..
“You could have completed the wall in a couple of months.”
“The wall worked, it really worked.”
But says “amazingly we lost” about the election. Adds “Our elections are a disaster.” Later he addes in Texas: “We won in a landslide.”
But returns to elections as whole: “Our elections are a mess.”
Turns to Ken Paxton. Says he will endorse someone in his race soon and asked how many people he is running against.
“He has done a really good job,” Trump said of Paxton.
The meeting ends at 12:47 pm CST. We are now headed to Texas border.
In attendance at conference
President Donald Trump
US Rep. August Pfluger, R-TX
US Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-TX
US Rep. Jim Banks Indiana
US Rep. Brian Babin, R-TX
US Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-TX
McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos
Ana Garcia, Cornyn’s office
State Rep. James White
State Sen. Kelly Hancock
Clint McDonald, executive director, Texas Southwestern Border Sheriffs Coalition
Paul Perez, President, National Border Patrol Council
Benny Martinez, Brooks County Sheriff
Nim Kidd, Chief of Texas Department of Emergency Management
Tracy Norris, Adjutant General Texas Military Department
Steve McCraw, Director of Department of Public Safety
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Gov. Greg Abbott
Attorney General Ken Paxton
Chad Wolf, Former acting Secretary of Homeland Security
Mark Morgan, Former Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Tim Homan, Former Director of US Immigration & Customs Enforcement
Brannon Judd, President of National Border Patrol Council
Bill Waybourn, Tarrant County Sheriff
Al Louderback, Sheriff Jackson County
Chris Crane, President National Immigration & Customs Enforcement Council 118
Brad Koe, Sheriff Kinney County
Susan Kibbe, Executive Director of South Texans’ Property Rights Association
