PAINT IT BLACK

Trump Wants to Give His Border Wall a $500 Million Paint Job

The president is pushing for a black border wall, a paint job that would cost $500 million or more, according to estimates by federal contracting officials.

President Trump still wants his wall at the southern border painted black—which is estimated to cost an eye-popping $500 million or more, according to The Washington Post. While military and border officials have balked at using black paint on the wall because of its cost and the difficulty of maintaining it, Trump reportedly insists that the heat-absorbing color will make the fence appear more menacing and too hot to touch in summer. The president, who favors the colors “flat black” or “matte black,” asked for cost estimates at a meeting last month with son-in-law Jared Kushner and aides. According to federal contracting officials’ estimates, which were obtained by the Post, two coats of acrylic paint would cost $500 million, while the price of a premium black “powder coating” on the wall would be at least $3 billion.