President Donald Trump has revealed that his proposed wall along the border with Mexico could have solar panels fixed to it.
Addressing a rally in Iowa, Donald Trump told supporters the panels would provide cheap energy and help to pay for the controversial wall.
The president suggested the plan was his own, saying: “Pretty good imagination, right? Good? My idea.”
However, solar panels have been included in designs for the wall submitted by companies.
During his campaign, Donald Trump pledged to build a wall along the Mexican border to stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
He insisted he would make Mexico foot the bill, but Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has dismissed the idea.
President Trump told cheering supporters at a campaign-style rally in Cedar Rapids on June 21 that he would “give you an idea that nobody has heard about yet”.
He said: “We’re thinking of something that’s unique, we’re talking about the southern border, lots of sun, lots of heat. We’re thinking about building the wall as a solar wall, so it creates energy and pays for itself. And this way, Mexico will have to pay much less money, and that’s good, right?”
The president added: “Solar wall, panels, beautiful. I mean actually think of it, the higher it goes the more valuable it is. Pretty good imagination right? Good? My idea.”
More than 200 companies have reportedly responded to an invitation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to submit designs for the Mexican wall.
Among them was one from Gleason Partners in Las Vegas that proposed a wall of steel, cement and solar panels.
In April, media reported that President Trump had raised the idea with Republican Congressional leaders in talks at the White House.
In an article for the Wall Street Journal in March, two academics also suggested the idea of a solar paneled wall.
