Media

Acosta mocked for border reporting: ‘Exactly – walls work!’

CNN Chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta was mocked on social media after his report from a steel wall from the border “didn’t show anything resembling a national emergency” in the area of the border that the president will be visiting Thursday in McAllen, Texas.

{mosads}”I found some steel slats down on the border,” wrote Acosta on Twitter. “But I don’t see anything resembling a national emergency situation.. at least not in the McAllen, Texas, area of the border where Trump will be today.”

Republican lawmakers and media members, including President Trump, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and former CNN political analyst Peter Hamby took to Twitter to suggest Acosta was unknowingly making the president’s argument for funding from Congress to build a steel wall in order to stop what he calls a “humanitarian crisis” at the border.

“Dear Diary…” President Trump mockingly tweeted when sharing Acosta’s report.

“Exactly — Walls work!” wrote Vice President Pence’s spokeswoman Alyssa Farah.

“[B]arriers work! Great job Jim!!!” posted White House spokesman Hogan Gidley.

Acosta has been reporting from McAllen throughout the day, primarily providing sound bites from residents who say there is no crisis in the town with a population of more than 140,000 people.

“Nadine has lived in the McAllen area about a decade. She says it’s safe here and hasn’t seen people coming across the border causing crime and mayhem,” reported Acosta before offering a sound bite from the interview.

“Jose has lived here in the McAllen, Texas, area his whole life. He also tells me it is very safe here,” Acosta reports in another clip.

The deadlock over border wall funding between the White House and Democratic leadership has led to a partial government shutdown which entered its 20th day on Thursday with no compromise solution in sight.

The president arrived in Texas at 1 p.m. CST for his visit to the border.

Updated at 8:28 p.m.

Tags Bill Cassidy Donald Trump Steve Scalise

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