Ann Coulter ramps up criticism of border deal: ‘We thought Trump was going to be different’

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter on Wednesday knocked President Trump and Republicans for failing to obtain more money for border security in a deal reached this week by a bipartisan group of lawmakers.

Coulter responded to a tweet from conservative Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) in which the House Freedom Caucus chairman wrote that “only in Washington, DC” could lawmakers expect applause for getting $1.37 billion included in the deal instead of $25 billion.

“You mean: ‘Only in the Republican Party ..’ ” Coulter responded. “Democrats need $1.3 billion and end up giving themselves $25 billion (of your money).”

“We thought Trump was going to be different,” she added.

You mean: “Only in the Republican Party ..” Democrats need $1.3 billion and end up giving themselves $25 billion (of your money).

We thought Trump was going to be different. https://t.co/vf5r2V8SZR

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) February 13, 2019

{mosads}Coulter, who backed Trump in the 2016 election but has been critical of the president over his inability to secure funding for a wall along the southern border, is among the hard-line conservatives who have panned the latest deal.

The agreement includes $1.375 billion in funding for roughly 55 miles of new barriers along the southern border, and roughly $23 billion in total funds.

The president appears increasingly likely to sign off on the bill to avert another partial government shutdown. Trump’s allies have signaled they expect him to sign off on it and seek money for the wall through other means, namely by taking executive action.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are moving forward with the legislation, suggesting they expect Trump to sign the bill. 

In December, the White House signaled Trump would sign a funding bill to avoid a shutdown, but Trump ultimately held to his demand for $5.7 billion in wall funding and triggered a partial shutdown as conservatives like Coulter urged him not to back down.