President Trump Tours Lake Okeechobee
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PALM BEACH (CBSMiami) - President Donald Trump took a tour of the southeast shore of Lake Okeechobee Friday to talk about infrastructure improvements and environmental issues.
Trump touted how his federal funding is fixing the Herbert Hoover Dike. The aging levy is slowly being replaced and upgraded.
"This project was dying until we got involved, this was really dying. In 1928, 5000 people died here. Everything broke. They had a problem and everything, in 1928 they had a problem that turned out to be a total catastrophe. And we're making it stronger than it would have ever been," said Trump after his tour.
Trump said the dam renovation will be complete by 2022 because of money he allocated from hurricane relief last year.
Trump was joined by Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Marco Rubio, and Senator Rick Scott.
Trump's trip gives him the opportunity to highlight the partnership between the state and the feds on the dike project. But the trip also brings up an unpleasant reality. Trump has only recommended just $63 million in federal funds this year for Everglades restoration.
Florida lawmakers have asked for $200 million after DeSantis proposed $2.5 billion in state funding over the next 4 years.
After the tour, DeSantis thanked the President but reminded him that there is a lot more to be done with Everglades restoration.
"We're going to try to get additional funds from the federal government to raise the Tamiami trail and then our state legislature in this session is answering my call for historic support for water resources and water quality," he said.
While standing on the walls of the lake levy, the President brought up another wall.
"I'm looking at all these walls, I'm saying southern border too, don't forget our southern border and we're right now building a lot of wall on the southern border," he said.
Trump also put out a warning to Mexico. He said two caravans from Central America are heading to the US and Mexico must stop it or pay a hefty price.
"Mexico's tough, they can stop them. But they chose not to. Now they're going to stop them. If they don't stop them, we're closing the border. They'll close. We'll keep it closed for a long time. I'm not playing games," he said.
He also unleashed on Guatemala, EL Salvador, and Honduras — saying we've cut off all aid because they're doing nothing to stop illegal immigration into the United States.
