- A GoFundMe page asking for donations to fund a border wall raised over $5 million from more than 88,000 pledges.
- President Donald Trump long promised a wall on the country’s southern border, but a looming government shutdown prompted the White House to back off.
- Conservative Republicans are vowing to vote against a short-term funding bill that doesn’t include money for the wall.
A GoFundMe page dedicated to funding a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico is quickly raking in millions of dollars from tens of thousands of donors.
Brian Kolfage, a Purple Heart veteran and triple amputee, created a “We The People Will Fund The Wall” GoFundMe page Sunday, calling on Americans to donate whatever they can to fund a wall on the country’s southern border. The GoFundMe page since skyrocketed in popularity, surpassing $1 million in donations from more than 16,000 donors Wednesday.
The crowdfunding effort doesn’t appear to be slowing down. In fact, donations are raking in a faster rate.
As of publication of this article, Kolfage’s GoFundMe page raised over $5,423,000 from more than 80,900 donors. Many of the contributions are small in size, with numerous people donating $50 or less. Countless people have donated $1,000; three have donated $5,000; and one donation totaled $10,015.
“Like a majority of those American citizens who voted to elect President Donald J Trump, we voted for him to Make America Great Again. President Trump’s main campaign promise was to BUILD THE WALL. And as he’s followed through on just about every promise so far, this wall project needs to be completed still,” reads a description of the GoFundMe page, written by Kolfage.
“As a veteran who has given so much, 3 limbs, I feel deeply invested to this nation to ensure future generations have everything we have today,” he continues. “Too many Americans have been murdered by illegal aliens and too many illegals are taking advantage of the United States taxpayers with no means of ever contributing to our society.”
The page’s ultimate goal is to raise $1 billion.
TOPSHOT – Boys play around, climbing the border division between Mexico and the US in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on January 26, 2017. / AFP / HERIKA MARTINEZ (Photo credit should read HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP/Getty Images)
It’s not immediately clear how — or if — the money will be used. Kolfage, a retired Air Force veteran with his own Facebook page, assures donors their contributions will go toward helping build a border wall. If not, “every single penny” will be refunded.
The crowdfunding campaign comes as it appears President Donald Trump won’t be able to sign his long-promised border wall into law.
The president notably sparred with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and likely next House Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier in December over funding for a border wall. During a heated exchange in the Oval Office with the two Democratic leaders, Trump said he was willing to shut the government down in order to get the funds.
Trump complained about a lack of border wall funding in a Thursday morning tweet.
When I begrudgingly signed the Omnibus Bill, I was promised the Wall and Border Security by leadership. Would be done by end of year (NOW). It didn’t happen! We foolishly fight for Border Security for other countries – but not for our beloved U.S.A. Not good!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018
However, Trump appears to be relenting on the issue.
The White House since indicated there are “a number of different funding sources” for construction of the wall and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed confidence that a shutdown would not occur. A short-term funding bill in Congress does not currently provide funding for a border wall — prompting immigration hard-liners to encourage Trump to veto it.
“Democrats are going to stall this project by every means possible and play political games to ensure President Trump doesn’t get his victor. They’d rather see President Trump fail, than see America succeed,” Kolfage wrote on the GoFundMe page. “However, if we can fund a large portion of this wall, it will jumpstart things and will be less money Trump has to secure from our politicians.” (RELATED: BREAKING: Trump Moves Towards Shutdown Over Wall Funding)
The popular GoFundMe page spurred a rival crowdfunding effort. Another GoFundMe page is asking donors to fund “Ladders to Get Over Trump’s Wall” and attracted nearly $15,000 in contributions.
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