Donald Trump's wall is even flimsier than previously realized, with smuggling gangs sawing through it 3,272 times in just three years, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's unpublished records obtained by The Washington Post under the Freedom of Information Act.
And it doesn't take high-tech tools to break through — cheap angle grinders and demolition saws from your local hardware store are all you need to rip that sucker open.
Yes, this is the same "beautiful" wall that Trump bragged about and spent $11 million in taxpayer funds to build, according to The Washington Post, even though he promised Mexico would pay for it. And then the US government spent another $2.6 million from the fiscal years of 2019–2021 to repair the busted mess.
From The Washington Post:
While the agency has acknowledged that smugglers are able to hack through the new barriers built by the Trump administration, the maintenance records show damage has been more widespread than previously known, pointing to the structure's limitations as an impediment to illegal crossings.
Smuggling gangs typically cut the barrier with inexpensive power tools widely available at retail hardware stores, including angle grinders and demolition saws. Once the 18-to-30-foot-tall bollards are severed near the ground, their only remaining point of attachment is at the top of the structure, leaving the steel beam dangling in the air. It easily swings open with a push, creating a gap wide enough for people and narcotics to pass through. …
At rallies, Trump likened his wall to a "Rolls-Royce," but he stopped claiming the barrier was "impenetrable" in 2019 after The Post reported smugglers had learned to saw through it with conventional power tools.
"We have a very powerful wall," Trump said when asked about the breaches. "But no matter how powerful, you can cut through anything."
And of course, a good strong wind will also do the trick, as seen in this video from 2020:
