Sep 13, 2019

Trump's plan to use Air Force funds for border wall poses national security risks

Rashaan Ayesh

migrants wait for a transport to arrive after turning themselves into US Border Patrol by border fence under construction — Photo: Paul Ratje/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump's plan to redirect funds from 51 U.S. Air Force construction projects for the southern border wall presents a variety of national security risks for U.S. armed forces, according to a report composed by the Air Force that NBC News obtained.

Why it matters: The diversion of resources delays many of those military projects, increasing vulnerabilities both domestically and abroad. There is no assurance the money will be automatically replenished, according anonymous officials, and funding for these projects could be set back by a year or more, reports NBC.

Since declaring a national emergency in February, Trump has been trying to reallocate funds from other sources to build the wall, including successfully earmarking $3.6 billion from the Pentagon.

Some of the affected Air Force projects:

Storage for $1 billion of munitions overseas.
Replacing a boiler at a base in Alaska, "whose failure is 'imminent'" and could result in the evacuation of the base, per NBC.
A new entry-control point at the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey to protect vulnerable troops.
Stalled construction in support of the European Defense Initiative, a program to boost U.S. military presence and discourage Russian aggression.

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Trump's plan to use Air Force funds for border wall poses national security risks

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