Tom Cotton demands DOD records on border-wall material sales be preserved

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is demanding that Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin promise to keep all records as the Biden administration continues to sell southern border wall materials for low prices ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. 

“I write to demand full accountability and transparency from the Department of Defense about its role in the disposal of excess border wall materials from the first Trump administration,” the senator said in a letter to Austin on Monday.

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Cotton demanded Austin preserve records associated with the sales. (Reuters)

He acknowledged that President Biden was the one who decided “to halt the needed construction of the southwestern border wall,” but added that he had questions about the DOD’s role in the sale of materials. 

It was reported by Fox News’ William La Jeunesse that sections of wall were being sold “as scrap” and for just “pennies on the dollar.” 

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According to a DOD official, Biden’s administration has been disposing of excess border wall materials as was authorized by the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The official said that about 60% of these materials have been given to authorized recipients such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Texas and California. They added that 40% was purchased by GOVPLANET, a marketplace that sells surplus government equipment and materials. The border wall materials that are available on the site are not currently owned by the government and the DOD doesn’t have the authority to prevent any sales of them, the official said.

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Immigrants line up at a remote U.S. Border Patrol processing center after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on December 07, 2023 in Lukeville, Arizona.  (John Moore/Getty Images)

In his letter to Austin, Cotton told the secretary to provide a written assurance that the department would “preserve all electronic and written material related to the disposition of the border wall materials.”

Additionally, he asked for a “full accounting” of how the border wall materials were disposed of as outlined in the NDAA. 

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And lastly, Cotton demanded a list of each company that materials were sold to. 

“Thankfully, the egregious waste of taxpayer money and flaunting of urgent national security concerns will end on January 20, 2025, when President-elect Trump assumes office,” the Arkansas Republican said. “Congress will use the records you are required by law to preserve to fully understand the Biden Department of Defense’s role in making our border less secure.”

The end of border wall construction on the Chilton ranch. (Adam Shaw/Fox News)

The DOD did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital. 

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At a press conference on Monday, Trump pleaded with the Biden administration to halt their continued lame duck efforts to sell border wall materials. “It’s almost a criminal act,” the president-elect said. 

“They know we’re gonna use it,” Trump explained, adding that it will cost more to get back. 

He predicted it would cost “hundreds of millions of dollars more” to rebuild the wall portions.