CNN’s Jim Acosta traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border in McAllen, Texas, on Thursday to cover the presidential visit to the border town. As Acosta awaited the president, he took a selfie video walking along the border, and inadvertently made a case for the construction of a border wall.
In the video, Acosta wanders around steel slats on the border, describing how “tranquil” it is. “I found some steel slats down on the border. But I don’t see anything resembling a national emergency situation,” Acosta tweeted.
I found some steel slats down on the border. But I don’t see anything resembling a national emergency situation.. at least not in the McAllen TX area of the border where Trump will be today. pic.twitter.com/KRoLdszLUu
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 10, 2019
“We’re not seeing any imminent danger,” Acosta said in the video. “There are no migrants trying to rush toward this fence. No sign of the national emergency the president has been talking about.”

US President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House in Washington, DC, on January 10, 2019. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Conservatives on Twitter pounced on the tweet.
So you went down to the border and found that there is no national emergency situation where steel slats have been erected? Good own. https://t.co/hykUVEYsfb
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) January 10, 2019
Er, you found a place where there is a barrier and all is quiet? Jim, do you know what point you’re actually making here? https://t.co/YbZfYtyO5P
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 10, 2019
Jim Acosta just posted one of the biggest self owns ever.
He’s walking along the border where there’s a wall in place talking about how there’s nothing that “resembles a national emergency situation” and “there’s no migrants trying to rush.”
That’s because there’s a wall, Jim. https://t.co/qkuWRhxolW
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) January 10, 2019
It’s almost as though having steel slats might help prevent illegal immigration where you’re filming, dolt. https://t.co/OIpdcvgv5T
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 10, 2019
“i am standing here in front of the border wall. no crisis here. TAKE THAT, DRUMPF”
*send tweet* pic.twitter.com/2stJQhQ7NJ
— siraj hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) January 10, 2019
Acosta also tagged the video location as filmed at a Burger King, which he explained in a subsequent tweet. “The Burger King is literally down hill from where we shot this (for folks who are wondering – why it shows up)” (RELATED: Trump: Government Shutdown Could Last As Long As A Year)
The Trump border visit comes amid a partial government shutdown over funding for border security, as Democratic congressional leaders refuse to give the White House its requested funding for a border wall.
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