Video of the day: President Trump tours border wall progress

In San Diego, California, President Donald J. Trump got an up-close look yesterday at the great progress being made on new and replacement border wall.

“We’re building it at a breakneck speed,” the President said after receiving an update from Border Patrol officials. All told, the wall will “be over 400 miles. And we think we can get it close to 500 miles by the end of next year,” he added.

President Trump’s goal has always been to stop illegal immigration and protect the American people. Now, with border wall construction underway, the results are undeniable: Illegal border crossings plummeted 30 percent between July and August.

“Nobody is coming in unless they’re coming in legally. They’re coming in through a process,” the President said.

TOMORROW: Australia State Visit begins!

President Trump and the First Lady will welcome Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and First Lady Jenny Morrison to the White House tomorrow for an arrival ceremony to kick off their official State Visit to Washington.

The visit will be a celebration of the close relationship and shared history between America and Australia. Throughout the weekend, President Trump and Prime Minister Morrison will reaffirm our common vision for global peace, security, and prosperity.

Official State Visits are large, formal affairs, as are appropriate to show respect to a visiting leader. The end goal of the occasion, however, is practical: President Trump and visiting heads of state meet for working sessions throughout any such visit.

In that spirit, the weekend will be filled with major events, both ceremonial and policy-specific. In addition to tomorrow’s welcome ceremony, the President and First Lady will host a State Dinner on Friday evening. On Sunday, Prime Minister Morrison will join President Trump in Ohio to tour a new, Australian-owned manufacturing facility, highlighting the strong U.S.–Australia trade relationship and its importance for American workers.

In photos: A look back at President Trump’s first State Visit with France

LIVE: Watch the arrival ceremony for Australia tomorrow at 9 a.m. ET

Photo of the Day

Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

President Donald J. Trump visits the border area of Otay Mesa, a neighborhood along the Mexican border in San Diego, California | September 18, 2019