The U.S. Defense Department sent
Congress a request to shift nearly $4 billion from the military budget to pay for a wall on the border with
Mexico, a central promise of President Donald Trump's campaign for the
White House four years ago and bid this year for a second term.
Lawmakers said they received a request on Thursday to reprogram more than $3.8 billion from funding for the National Guard and weapons programs, setting the stage for a possible confrontation with Democrats.
Democratic aides said $1.5 billion would come from the National Guard, and the rest from funds for procurement, including the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35
fighter jet program, Lockheed C-130 aircraft,
Boeing Co P-8 Poseidon aircraft, Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey helicopters and shipbuilding.