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Trump denies trying to block Biden from border win

by Filip Timotija - 01/31/24 5:56 PM ET

In this Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019 file photo, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., left, and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., stand with President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., as Trump speaks while departing after a Senate Republican Policy luncheon, on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Republican Party still belongs to Donald Trump. The GOP privately flirted with purging the norm-shattering former president after he incited a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last month. But in the end, only seven of 50 Senate Republicans voted to convict Trump in his historic second impeachment trial on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Former President Trump, the current GOP front-runner who has railed against the bipartisan border deal for weeks, denied the idea of trying to block President Biden, his likely rival in the 2024 election, from achieving a legislative win by passing the bill.

When asked if it is true that Trump does not want to see the U.S.-Mexico border deal passed because it would give Biden and the Democrats a boost in the upcoming election cycle, the former president denied it.

“No, I didn’t say that,” Trump responded while addressing reporters Wednesday after meeting with Teamsters President Sean O’Brien in Washington, D.C.

Trump then continued saying that he would only be for the bipartisan border legislation if it is a “great border bill” that would solve the “problem.”

“I did say that you have, if you’re not gonna get a great border bill, an immigration bill, don’t do a bill,” Trump continued. “If it’s not going to be good, if it’s not going to solve the border problem, don’t do the bill. And that was very important to me and lot of people do call me, they respect and say ‘what do you think.’ If the bill is not going to be a great bill and really solve the problem, I wouldn’t do it at all. Not for political reasons, just for U.S. reasons.”

The former president has been critical of the bipartisan border negotiations, calling the legislation unnecessary and that it would only make the southern border worse. The bill has been negotiated for weeks now in the Senate, but the legislation, as currently rumored to be constructed, would have a hard time passing the GOP-controlled lower chamber.

“A Border Bill is not necessary to stop the millions of people, many from jails and mental institutions located all over the World, that are POURING INTO OUR COUNTRY. It is an INVASION the likes of which no Country has ever had to endure. It is not sustainable or affordable, and will, under Crooked Joe Biden, ONLY GET WORSE,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He also suggested that Democrats are using the border issue as a way to blame the GOP. During the past weekend, he told his supporters he would be fine if he is blamed for partaking in faltering the legislation.

For his commentary on the border, Trump has received some pushback from GOP senators, particularly, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who said it was “immoral” for the GOP to derail the bipartisan deal in order to help the former president.