As another “migrant caravan” has swelled to more than 4,000 hopeful “asylum seekers” marching toward the US’s southern border, recently prompting the Mexican government to dispatch 500 additional border guards to its border with Guatemala, President Trump threatened to send in the military and close the US’s southern border with Mexico in a tweet Thursday morning, after threatening to withhold aid from Honduras earlier in the week.

After bashing Democrats for pushing for “open borders” and Honduras and Guatemala for having “almost no control” over their populations, Trump demanded that Mexico “stop this onslaught” at the country’s border with the US. If they fail, Trump threatened to (“in addition to stopping all payments to those countries”) “call up the US Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!”

The new caravan, which began in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula with 150 migrants, has swelled in size. It’s the second caravan from Honduras this year. 

Trump added that “the assault on our country…including the Criminal elements and DRUGS pouring in, is far more important to me, as President, than Trade or USMCA,” adding “hopefully Mexico will stop this onslaught” before declaring it’s “all Democrats fault for weak laws!”

I am watching the Democrat Party led (because they want Open Borders and existing weak laws) assault on our country by Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, whose leaders are doing little to stop this large flow of people, INCLUDING MANY CRIMINALS, from entering Mexico to U.S…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018

….In addition to stopping all payments to these countries, which seem to have almost no control over their population, I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught – and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018

….The assault on our country at our Southern Border, including the Criminal elements and DRUGS pouring in, is far more important to me, as President, than Trade or the USMCA. Hopefully Mexico will stop this onslaught at their Northern Border. All Democrats fault for weak laws!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018

It probably goes without saying that closing the southern border would be incredibly disruptive to trade between the US and Mexico, in addition to angering the most willing partner in the newly forged USMCA trade agreement. Then again, Trump is probably hoping that his staunch immigration stance will help galvanize his supporters to vote in the midterms, as reports about another migrant caravan have brought the immigration debate back to the forefront of the US political debate.