The border wall is often described as Donald Trump’s signature issue, his most famous campaign promise, the very rationale for his political career—and therefore the most urgent priority of his presidency. …
But if building the wall was so necessary to the success of his presidency, why did he wait until now to act?
Trump made a very consequential decision soon after his unexpected election in November 2016 to delegate the prioritization of a legislative program to the Republican leadership in Congress: House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. And the wall was far from the top priority for either Ryan or McConnell, who cared much more about repealing the Affordable Care Act and enacting tax reform. CONT.
David A. Hopkins, Boston College