Donald Trump: Parts of border wall could be fence instead, US President-elect says
Updated
Certain areas of Donald Trump's promised border wall with Mexico, a key part of his White House campaign platform, could be a fence instead, the US President-elect says.
Key points:
- President-elect Donald Trump told CBS' 60 Minutes parts of proposed border wall may be fencing
- It has emerged 60.3 million people voted for Mr Trump, 60.8 million voted for Hillary Clinton
- Protests are continuing across the United States
Asked in an interview with CBS' 60 Minutes whether he would accept a fence instead of a wall, Mr Trump said, "for certain areas I would", according to excerpts.
"But certain areas, a wall is more appropriate," he said.
"I'm very good at this, it's called construction, there could be some fencing."
Mr Trump, who defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's election and replaces Democratic President Barack Obama on January 20, also said once he takes office he would remove immigrants in the country illegally with criminal records.
"What we are going to do is get the people that are criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, where a lot of these people, probably two million, it could be even three million, we are getting them out of our country or we are going to incarcerate. But we're getting them out of our country," he said.
During the campaign, Mr Trump said he would deport the estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally, most of whom are Hispanic, and repeatedly promised to make Mexico pay for the border wall, part of his plan to toughen immigration law and secure the border.
Mr Trump said he would not seek to have the Supreme Court overturn last year's decision on same-sex marriage, which ruled that the US Constitution provides same-sex couples the right to marry.
He also said he was "saddened" to hear reports of people harassing Muslim and Latino Americans following his election victory.
"I am so saddened to hear that, and I say stop it. If it, if it helps, I will say this, and I'll say it right to the cameras: stop it," he said.
Around 60.3 million people voted for Mr Trump in the November 8 election, fewer than the 60.8 million who chose Mrs Clinton.
But Trump's strong showing in swing states including Michigan meant he triumphed in the Electoral College, which ultimately picks the president.
Anti-Trump protesters plan fifth day of rallies
Meanwhile, demonstrators across the United States planned to take to the streets for a fifth straight day on Sunday to protest the election of Mr Trump, as the President-elect sparred on social media with one of the nation's largest newspapers.
Protests were scheduled for Sunday afternoon in New York City and Oakland, California, according to online announcements.
Thousands in several cities have demonstrated since the results from Tuesday's election showed Mr Trump lost the popular tally but gained enough votes in the 538-person Electoral College to win the presidency, surprising the world.
Demonstrators have decried Mr Trump's campaign promises to restrict immigration and register Muslims, as well as allegations the former reality-TV star sexually assaulted women.
Dozens have been arrested and a handful of police injured.
Chanting "Not my president" and "love trumps hate", people marched in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and elsewhere on Saturday, saying Mr Trump threatened their civil and human rights.
Mr Trump launched complaints of his own on Sunday on Twitter, attacking The New York Times for coverage that he said was "very poor and highly inaccurate".
The newspaper published a letter in Sunday's editions from publisher Arthur Sulzberger and executive editor Dean Baquet, not apologising, but thanking readers for their loyalty and asking how news outlets underestimated Mr Trump's support.
The Times plans to "hold power to account, impartially and unflinchingly" during the Trump presidency, they wrote.
More than 20 arrests
Organisers of the weekend protests said they wanted to build on momentum after several nights of unrest triggered by the real-estate mogul's surprise win.
Police in Portland, Oregon, where a protester was shot but not seriously injured early on Saturday, said they arrested more than 20 people late on Saturday after protesters tossed burning flares and bottles at them and refused orders to disperse.
In New York, several thousand protesters marched peacefully up Fifth Avenue before filling the streets at the foot of Trump Tower, the President-elect's skyscraper home.
"We're horrified the country has elected an incredibly unqualified, misogynist racist on a platform that was just totally hateful," said Mary Florin-McBride, 62, a retired banker from New York who held a sign reading "No Fascism in America".
There were also demonstrations in Chicago and Los Angeles, where several thousand protesters gathered beneath MacArthur Park's palm trees holding placards including "Dump Trump" and "Minorities Matter", before marching toward downtown.
Some waved American, Mexican or rainbow flags. Holding a "Keep Love Legal" sign, 25-year-old gay Los Angeles resident Alex Seedman called Mr Trump a fascist and feared he would repeal same-sex marriage.
Evelyne Werzola, 46, an immigrant from South Africa, said she had seen what a police state could do.
"I've seen people oppressed. And this is like a heartbreak of the American dream for me," Ms Werzola said.
"So I'm fighting to keep what America has stood for alive."
In Portland, police said four people believed to be criminal gang associates had been detained in connection with the shooting of the protester. They also said some protesters had attacked a film crew and at least two people were assaulted.
Reuters/ABC
Topics: us-elections, world-politics, united-states
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