Donald Trump pledges wall in Colorado — more than 400 miles from Mexico
24 October 2019, 12:15
Donald Trump has pledged to build his "beautiful" border wall in Colorado, despite it being over 400 miles from Mexico.
The US president made the apparent geographical gaffe on Wednesday as he expressed confidence in the wall winning him votes in an actual border state of New Mexico.
Speaking from Pennsylvania, he said: "You know why we're going to win New Mexico? Because they want safety on the border. And they didn't have it. And we're building a wall on the border of New Mexico.
"And we're building a wall in Colorado. We're building a beautiful wall, a big one that really works — you can't get over, you can't get under."
But these comments have since drawn criticism as Colorado is, in fact, hundreds of miles away from the US border with Mexico.
For example, the municipality of Trinidad, situated on the southernmost tip of Colorado state, is around 780 km (485 miles) from the city of Ciudad Juárez, which is just over the border into Mexico.
"Well this is awkward," Colorado Governor Jared Polis tweeted, before highlighting the state's free access to "basic geography" for children.
He added: "Colorado doesn't border Mexico. Good thing Colorado now offers free full day kindergarten so our kids can learn basic geography."
Following the criticisms, Mr Trump later attributed his comments to a joke made for the benefit of those in the audience of his speech in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
"Kiddingly," he tweeted in the early hours of Thursday morning.
It "refered to people in the very packed auditorium, from Colorado and Kansas, getting the benefit of the Border Wall!" he wrote.
(Kiddingly) We’re building a Wall in Colorado”(then stated, “we’re not building a Wall in Kansas but they get the benefit of the Wall we’re building on the Border”) refered to people in the very packed auditorium, from Colorado & Kansas, getting the benefit of the Border Wall!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 24, 2019
Mr Trump's comments on his infamous wall come just months after the US Supreme Court gave the go-ahead on building part of the structure with costs later agreed by Congress of up to $1.4bn (£1.1bn).
He has also tried securing further funds by declaring a national emergency earlier this year.