It's possible that Donald Trump really thinks his voters are as much to blame for his promise to make Mexico pay for his wall as he is—I mean, they did engage in that whole call and response schtick he did at nearly every rally.
But according to Mike Pence, Trump's team is eyeing "existing funds" (meaning taxpayer dollars) to pay for Trump's big, beautiful wall so they can start work on it immediately after the popular vote loser is sworn in as pr*sident.
“We’re going to move very quickly on the border,” Pence told NBC News Wednesday, adding that Trump might initiate action on his chief immigration pledge through executive action. "He's asked me to work with members of Congress to ensure that we can keep our promise and begin to build a wall quickly. And we're looking at existing legislation and existing funds to begin to put that into practice."
Pence said he thought it was "possible" that Trump could do that before Congress passes new legislation. He also ducked a specific question on ending DACA and was at pains to say that "simultaneously" repealing and replacing health care was the "top priority."
But if you read between Pence's lines, it's clear that Trump has most fervently pushed on the border wall. What's also true is that if they can push through an executive order on the wall right away, it will cut down debate on how it will be paid for—a debate that would remind voters every day that Trump is breaking his promise on making Mexico pay for the wall. Republicans are going to try to bury this fact. Of said existing funds, Brian Bennett writes:
Next year’s Homeland Security budget includes about $175 million set aside for upgrading Border Patrol buildings and adding new equipment, which along with other funds could be diverted quickly to start construction on a wall while Congress considers proposals to increase funding.
That's gonna be one skimpy wall without further funding. But once the building begins, congressional Republicans will be on the hook for figuring out how to bring it to completion—almost surely using money from your pocket.