Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi Government Killed in Israeli Strike

22 hours ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

2 days ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

2 days ago

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

2 days ago

Wall Street Falls as Dell, Nvidia Drive Tech Losses

2 days ago

US Denies Visas to Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly

2 days ago

Minneapolis Children Revealed Courage, Absorbed Fear During Church Shooting

3 days ago

Ford Recalls Nearly 500,000 Vehicles Over Brake Fluid Leak

3 days ago

Fresno-Bound Passenger Says Delta Attendant Slapped Him, Seeks $20M

3 days ago
Trump Cites Unverified Claim About Muslim Rugs as He Pushes for Border Wall
BILL NEW PROFILE IMAGE
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 7 years ago on
January 18, 2019

Share

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump sought Friday to bolster his case for border-wall funding by pointing to a migrant caravan heading toward the United States and citing a news story that quoted an anonymous New Mexico rancher saying she has found Muslim prayer rugs on her property.
The president’s arguments, in morning tweets, represented his latest attempt to portray a security crisis at the border using what Democrats have derided as scare tactics.
The tweets come as Trump and congressional Democrats remain at an impasse over his demand for $5.7 billion in border-wall funding that has led to a partial government shutdown now in its 28th day.


In one tweet, Trump referenced a Washington Examiner story that prominently quoted an unnamed rancher from a remote, southwestern part of New Mexico who said that her discovery of prayer rugs suggested “terrorist threats” unappreciated by the general public.

Rancher Admits She’s ‘Never Seen any Middle Easterners’

In a video that accompanied the story, the rancher acknowledged that she “never seen any Middle Easterners” herself. She did not explain how she knows the blankets she says she has discovered are prayer rugs nor did the video show any such rugs.
“People coming across the Southern Border from many countries, some of which would be a big surprise,” Trump said in his tweet that referenced the Examiner story.
In advance of last year’s midterm elections, Trump also sought to highlight what he said was a threat from “all sorts of people” of Middle Eastern descent joining a caravan making its way through Central America toward the U.S. border.
He at one point acknowledged “there’s no proof of anything” before adding “but there very well could be”a large number of Middle Easterners in the caravan.
In his tweets Friday, Trump pointed to a new caravan of Central American migrants crossing into Mexico from Guatemala that had been the subjects of segments earlier on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” a show the president regularly watches.
“Another big Caravan heading our way. Very hard to stop without a Wall!” Trump tweeted.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

DON'T MISS

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

DON'T MISS

Classic Cars Will Still Need a Smog Test in California After Lawmakers Reject Jay Leno Bill

DON'T MISS

Visalia Driver Arrested for DUI After Multiple Crashes and Pedestrian Injured

DON'T MISS

Dollar Trades Lower With Fed Cut In View, On Course For Monthly Drop

DON'T MISS

Visalia Semi Crash Injures Amazon Truck Driver After Red Light Collision

DON'T MISS

Evacuation of Gaza City Would Be Unsafe and Unfeasible, Says Head of Red Cross

DON'T MISS

A Goodbye Love Note to My Dog: Remembering My Best Friend Harriet

DON'T MISS

Most Trump Tariffs Are Not Legal, US Appeals Court Rules

DON'T MISS

New $250 Visa Fee Risks Deepening US Travel Slump

UP NEXT

Dollar Trades Lower With Fed Cut In View, On Course For Monthly Drop

UP NEXT

Evacuation of Gaza City Would Be Unsafe and Unfeasible, Says Head of Red Cross

UP NEXT

New $250 Visa Fee Risks Deepening US Travel Slump

UP NEXT

Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi Government Killed in Israeli Strike

UP NEXT

Lawsuit Links CA Teen’s Suicide To Artificial Intelligence

UP NEXT

Hearing Ends Without Ruling On Trump’s Firing Of Fed Governor Cook

UP NEXT

Gov. Newsom Launches New Task Force To Clear CA Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Egypt Rounds up Teenaged TikTokkers in Crackdown on Social Media

UP NEXT

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

UP NEXT

Turkey Bars Israeli Ships from Its Ports and Restricts Airspace

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

Visalia Driver Arrested for DUI After Multiple Crashes and Pedestrian Injured

22 hours ago

Dollar Trades Lower With Fed Cut In View, On Course For Monthly Drop

22 hours ago

Visalia Semi Crash Injures Amazon Truck Driver After Red Light Collision

22 hours ago

Evacuation of Gaza City Would Be Unsafe and Unfeasible, Says Head of Red Cross

22 hours ago

A Goodbye Love Note to My Dog: Remembering My Best Friend Harriet

22 hours ago

Most Trump Tariffs Are Not Legal, US Appeals Court Rules

22 hours ago

New $250 Visa Fee Risks Deepening US Travel Slump

22 hours ago

Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi Government Killed in Israeli Strike

22 hours ago

California Schools Reverse Truancy Trends. Improving Reading Scores Could Be Next

23 hours ago

High-Speed Rail Hits a New Snag as Lawmakers Reject Proposal to Expedite Construction

23 hours ago

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

Matt Entz got his first victory as Fresno State football coach. He called it exciting. The Bulldogs’ offensive and defensive lines sho...

10 hours ago

No. 6 Bryson Donelson celebrates after scoring a touchdown for the Fresno State Bulldogs over the Georgia Southern Eagles on Aug. 30, 2025. (Fresno State)
10 hours ago

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

Image of man being detained in Denver by ICE agents
19 hours ago

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

California lawmakers killed “Leno’s Law,” a bill to exempt classic cars from smog checks, despite Jay Leno’s support and bipartisan backing. (Shutterstock)
22 hours ago

Classic Cars Will Still Need a Smog Test in California After Lawmakers Reject Jay Leno Bill

A Visalia man was arrested Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, for DUI and other charges after a series of crashes downtown left a pedestrian with minor injuries. (Visalia PD)
22 hours ago

Visalia Driver Arrested for DUI After Multiple Crashes and Pedestrian Injured

22 hours ago

Dollar Trades Lower With Fed Cut In View, On Course For Monthly Drop

An Amazon semi ran a red light and collided with another truck in Visalia early Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, seriously injuring the driver. (Visalia PD)
22 hours ago

Visalia Semi Crash Injures Amazon Truck Driver After Red Light Collision

Displaced Palestinians ride on a vehicle loaded with belongings as they flee from one area to another within Gaza City, amid an Israeli military operation, in Gaza City, August 29, 2025. (Reuters File)
22 hours ago

Evacuation of Gaza City Would Be Unsafe and Unfeasible, Says Head of Red Cross

Mell Garcia says a heartfelt goodbye to her dog Harriet after 13 years, cherishing their memories and celebrating the love they shared. (Special to GV Wire)
22 hours ago

A Goodbye Love Note to My Dog: Remembering My Best Friend Harriet

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend