The Biden administration is being called out by President-elect Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers for selling off unused border wall materials at government auctions. The sales, seen by critics as wasteful and counterproductive, come just weeks before Trump’s inauguration.
In Arizona, contractors are hauling away steel bollards and fencing purchased under Trump’s first term. The materials, listed on a government surplus auction site, are being sold for as little as $5 per bid. According to Border Patrol officials, about half a mile of materials is being removed daily, with the goal of clearing all stock by Christmas.
Joe Biden is a vindictive bitter old man selling off COMPLETED "Bollard Wall" panels as scrap.
Already welded, already filled with concrete, already in place by the border, and ALREADY PAID FOR.
Starting bids are $5. pic.twitter.com/JnmmHM3RdV— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) December 12, 2024
Trump condemned the sell-off on his Truth social media platform, calling it “crazy.” He argued the auctions will cost taxpayers more in the long run. “It will cost the U.S. a fortune, and time, to get the exact same wall to replace what has been sold,” he wrote.
Republicans have echoed Trump’s concerns, accusing the Biden administration of trying to sabotage the incoming president’s border security plans. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) demanded the sales be stopped in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, calling the effort wasteful. “These border wall materials are critical to stem the record flow of illegal immigrants,” Schmitt said.
Biden to auction off apx 250 miles of border wall at $10,000 loss per panel to facilitate open borders, and the inept border policy @SecMayorkas has been peddling for 4 years. pic.twitter.com/bUtIkyDqBA
— Robert Newcomb – Irregular/Asymmetric Warfare & AI (@DefendUtah) December 13, 2024
Biden Administration has auctioned off the rest of ALL border wall parts. Pennies on the dollar were brought in out of the $2 billion you spent to buy the materials.
Biden=worst Pres. ever! pic.twitter.com/NgOxfo8WC9— Permitfisher (@Permitfisher32) December 13, 2024
The controversy comes as illegal immigration continues to dominate political debate. GOP leaders argue the auction undermines national security and exacerbates the crisis at the southern border. The materials, they claim, are vital to Trump’s plans to restore and expand the wall.
As Trump prepares to resume office, the dispute over the wall materials underscores ongoing tensions between the outgoing and incoming administrations on immigration policy.
