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GoFundMe campaign to build border wall raises more than $7.4 million in four days

Posted at 5:59 AM, Dec 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-20 17:10:30-05
border wall prototypes
FILE Border wall prototypes stand in San Diego near the Mexico U.S. border, seen from Tijuana, Mexico where the current wall casts a shadow in the foreground, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

MIRAMAR, Fla. – An Air Force veteran and purple heart recipient has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to build a wall at the southern border.

Brian Kolflage, who is a triple amputee and Air Force veteran, started the GoFundMe page on Dec. 16. At last check on Dec. 20, it has raised more than $7.4 million.

This morning at 6 a.m. the fundraising total was only $2.8 million.

The description of the page says in part, “If the 63 million people who voted for Trump each pledge $80, we can build the wall.” That equates to roughly 5Billion Dollars, even if we get half, that’s half the wall. We can do this.”

The page’s current limit is $1 billion, but Kolflage said he’s looking to get that limit raised to raise the money needed. Kolflage also wrote that he’s been in contact with the Trump administration and claims, “We have many very high level contacts already helping.”

President Trump has said on numerous occasions that Mexico would pay for the border wall, and the country has been adamant that it will not fund the wall.  Funding over the border wall has been at the center of the debate over a possible government shutdown, which could happen at midnight Friday.

The Senate approved legislation to temporarily fund the government and avoid a federal shutdown Wednesday night. That measure, which does not provide the $5 billion in funding the president is asking for,  still needs approval from the House of Representatives.

President Trump has not yet said if he’ll support that bill.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story)