‘Magic MAGA Fairies?’
During an incredibly rare White House press briefing Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Trump is not asking taxpayers to fund the president’s wall, but rather, will seek to use “existing” funds from federal government agencies – which are funded by taxpayers.
“With the deficit ballooning to over a trillion dollars under this president, where are the additional monies for this wall going to come from,” a reporter asked Huckabee Sanders, “and why is he asking the American taxpayer for them, when he promised Mexico was going to pay?”
Huckabee Sanders apparently is unaware of how federal government agencies are funded.
“Look, we’re not asking American taxpayers for that,” she replied, as the reporter’s head slammed back in shock.
“We are looking at existing funding through other agencies right now, that we can draw on to do that immediately,” Huckabee Sanders added.
Here’s the video – be sure to focus on the reporter’s head and facial expressions in the opening few seconds.
Meanwhile, Huckabee Sanders went on to claim that President Trump “has been clear” that his USMCA trade deal, which he thinks will replace NAFTA, “would provide additional revenue through that deal that would show that Mexico has paid for the wall.”
This is what Huckabee Sanders is referring to:
And it is totally false.
The reporter then corrects the press secretary, informing her that “the trade benefits – if there are any – don’t go to the Treasury.”
After Huckabee Sanders replies, showing she and the president have no grasp of taxes, revenue, or trade deals, the reporter informs her that “trade benefits go to private citizens,” meaning those who purchase the foreign goods and services.
“He’s talking about the general revenue that comes from that,” an exasperated Huckabee Sanders says.
“So, you’re going to tax – ” the reporter responds.
“No, we’re not going to tax. We’re talking about additional revenue that wouldn’t have existed without the president getting a new deal,” she continued, which of course makes no sense.
“Have you done the math on that?” the reporter, now incredulous, asks.
It didn’t take long for people on social media to mercilessly mock the White House press secretary: