President Trump praises Gov. Abbott, pledges stronger U.S.-Mexico border efforts

During his inaugural address on Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his commitment to securing the U.S.-Mexico border, outlining plans to send troops and bolster border infrastructure. Later, in remarks made after the inauguration, Trump surprised Gov. Greg Abbott with direct praise for his work on border security.

In a moment of surprise, Trump recognized Abbott in the crowd, sparking an impromptu exchange.

“Wow, look at you,” Trump said, gesturing toward Abbott. “Supposed we couldn’t get you in the first row?”

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The president praised Abbott for his work on border security, saying, “He’s doing a great job, he’s doing a phenomenal job. But now you’re going to have a partner that’s going to work with you, because you didn’t have that. Not only didn’t he have a partner, he had people selling the wall. Right?”

Trump went on to reflect on the border wall construction that took place during his first term. He shared his vision for a towering concrete structure, though he noted that practical issues forced changes to his original plans.

“We have a fence structure that we worked on, the governor worked on with me. I didn’t love it to be honest with you, I wanted a precast concrete 40-to-50 feet high, beautiful. It could’ve been T-shape or Y-shaped. I love construction. I wanted that sucker to go up 50 or 60 feet. It would’ve looked beautiful, a nice Y-shape,” Trump said. “They said, ‘The problem is, sir, they would climb that like a rabbit.’ I said, ‘What do you mean? No way?’ They brought some of those guys out here and they climbed it like…”

In his inauguration speech, Trump vowed to send troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, boost domestic oil production, and impose tariffs aimed at enriching American citizens.

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Trump used the address to sharply criticize America’s leadership over the last four years, describing it as incompetent and corrupt. He echoed themes from his campaign trail, arguing that the current government prioritizes foreign borders over American borders and fails to provide basic services during emergencies.

“We now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home, while at the same time stumbling into a continuing catalog of catastrophic events abroad,” Trump charged.

While Trump did not mention former President Joe Biden or any specific Democrats by name, his remarks made it clear whom he was referring to. He accused the government of protecting dangerous immigrants at the expense of law-abiding citizens and leaving Americans vulnerable.

Steve Peoples, Nicholas Riccardi, Bill Barrow, and the Associated Press contributed to this article.