Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Trump Cites Unverified Claim About Muslim Rugs as He Pushes for Border Wall
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 6 years ago on
January 18, 2019

Share

WASHINGTON โ€” 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 presidentโ€™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 โ€œterrorist threatsโ€ unappreciated by the general public.

Rancher Admits Sheโ€™s โ€˜Never Seen any Middle Easternersโ€™

In a video that accompanied the story, the rancher acknowledged that she โ€œnever seen any Middle Easternersโ€ 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.
โ€œPeople coming across the Southern Border from many countries, some of which would be a big surprise,โ€ Trump said in his tweet that referenced the Examiner story.
In advance of last yearโ€™s midterm elections, Trump also sought to highlight what he said was a threat from โ€œall sorts of peopleโ€ of Middle Eastern descent joining a caravan making its way through Central America toward the U.S. border.
He at one point acknowledged โ€œthereโ€™s no proof of anythingโ€ before adding โ€œbut there very well could beโ€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 Newsโ€™ โ€œFox & Friends,โ€ a show the president regularly watches.
โ€œAnother big Caravan heading our way. Very hard to stop without a Wall!โ€ Trump tweeted.

DON'T MISS

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

UP NEXT

Russia Says Trumpโ€™s Threats Against Iran Could Trigger โ€˜Global Catastropheโ€™

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

Trump and Netanyahu to Discuss Gaza Crisis and Tariffs at Upcoming Meeting

3 hours ago

Trump Doubles Down That Tariffs Will Pay Off for Americans

3 hours ago

2 US Border Inspectors Charged With Taking Bribes to Wave in People Without Documents

SAN DIEGO โ€” Two U.S. border inspectors in Southern California have been charged with taking thousands of dollars in bribes to allow people t...

1 hour ago

1 hour ago

2 US Border Inspectors Charged With Taking Bribes to Wave in People Without Documents

2 hours ago

The Latest: Trumpโ€™s Tariffs Unleash Trade War and Calls for Negotiations

3 hours ago

Phone Footage Appears to Contradict Israelโ€™s Account in Troopsโ€™ Killing of 15 Palestinian Medics

3 hours ago

Trump and Netanyahu to Discuss Gaza Crisis and Tariffs at Upcoming Meeting

3 hours ago

Trump Doubles Down That Tariffs Will Pay Off for Americans

4 hours ago

Senate GOP Approves Trumpโ€™s Tax Breaks and Spending Cuts After Late-Night Session

4 hours ago

How Schools Can Help Students Facing Homelessness Get to Class

4 hours ago

Whatโ€™s in Your Emergency Travel Bag?

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

Search

Send this to a friend