Tom Cotton demands DOD records on border-wall material sales be preserved
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has made a bold demand to Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin, calling for transparency and accountability regarding the disposal of excess border wall materials from the previous Trump administration. In a letter to Austin, Cotton emphasized the need for the DOD to preserve all records associated with the sales of these materials, which are being sold at low prices as the Biden administration continues to dismantle the border wall.
Cotton pointed out that while President Biden made the decision to halt the construction of the southern border wall, he raised concerns about the DOD’s role in the sale of these materials. Reports have surfaced that sections of the wall are being sold for “pennies on the dollar” as scrap, prompting questions about the handling of these resources.
According to a DOD official, the Biden administration is disposing of excess border wall materials in accordance with the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Approximately 60% of the materials have been allocated to authorized recipients such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, while the remaining 40% has been purchased by GOVPLANET, a marketplace for surplus government equipment. The DOD official clarified that the department does not have the authority to prevent the sale of these materials once they are no longer government-owned.
In his letter, Cotton requested written assurance from Austin that all electronic and written materials related to the disposition of the border wall materials will be preserved. He also called for a comprehensive account of how the materials were disposed of in accordance with the NDAA, as well as a list of the companies that purchased the materials.
Looking ahead to President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, Cotton expressed confidence that the wasteful handling of taxpayer money and national security concerns would come to an end. He underscored the importance of preserving records to fully understand the DOD’s role in compromising border security.
The DOD has yet to provide a response to these demands, but Cotton’s call for transparency and accountability is a clear indication of the scrutiny surrounding the sale of border wall materials. As the Biden administration continues its efforts to dismantle the wall, the implications of these sales and their potential impact on national security remain a key point of contention.
At a press conference, President-elect Trump criticized the ongoing sale of border wall materials, warning of the costly consequences of rebuilding the wall in the future. He described the continued efforts to sell these materials as a “criminal act” and predicted that it would cost “hundreds of millions of dollars more” to reconstruct the wall portions.
As the debate over border security and the handling of surplus materials continues, Sen. Cotton’s demand for accountability and transparency serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding taxpayer resources and national security interests. The outcome of this investigation will likely shed light on the implications of the Biden administration’s actions and pave the way for informed decision-making in the future.
