More than 120 U.S. military building projects will be suspended as the Pentagon prepares to use $ 3.6 billion to build or improve parts of the border wall with Mexico, U.S. officials said yesterday.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in an attempt to fund the promised wall at the U.S.-Mexican border.
The Pentagon said it could divert $ 3.6 billion from the budget and provide Congress with a list of projects in March that they could save, but did not provide details.
Pentagon officials said on Tuesday that 127 projects would be covered and that the first $ 1.8 billion would come from suspended military construction ventures outside the United States. A second tranche would follow the postponement of military projects within the United States, said functionaries.
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters lawmakers were informed of the decision, which is in line with the national defense strategy, but the announcement was criticized by Democrats.
Some of decisions will hurt already planned, major projects designed to support our officers in military installations in NY, across the United States and the world - Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said in a statement.