Biden Administration Cancels Military-Funded Border Wall Construction Projects

On Friday, the Department of Defense announced it will cancel all southern border wall construction projects that were paid for with military funding. In 2019, former President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in an effort to redirect funding to build the border wall. In January, President Joe Biden issued an executive order halting all construction on the border wall so the administration could conduct a review; while that review goes on, the Pentagon said Friday the military funding would be returned to other projects. Pentagon spokesperson Jamal Brown said in the statement that unobligated military construction funds that were "originally intended for other military missions and functions such as schools for military children, overseas military construction projects in partner nations, and the National Guard and Reserve equipment account" will be returned to those projects. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection estimates that since 2019, more than 340 miles have been built in multiple locations along the border using Pentagon funds. The story received wide coverage cross the political spectrum. Outlets from the left tended to focus on the funds that will be redirected from the border wall back to the Pentagon. Some coverage from center- and right-rated outlets highlighted Republicans who claim the move would be a blow to national security and question its legality; some also noted that the Government Accountability Office is preparing a report on whether the pause is legal under the Impoundment Control Act.