Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump Mary Altaffer / AP
Trump to Federal Employee Union: ‘I Have Your Back’
Presumptive Republican nominee promises to listen to rank and file in setting policy.
Donald Trump has not always had the best relationships with organized labor, but he has found at least one union at the federal level with which he has a strong connection.
The National Border Patrol Council -- which represents more than 16,000 Border Patrol agents -- endorsed the now presumptive Republican nominee in March, marking the first time the group has ever announced its support for a presidential candidate. The union praised Trump in its endorsement for his commitment to embracing the ideas of “rank-and-file Border Patrol agents rather than listening to management yes-men who say whatever they are programmed to say.”
Trump repeated that philosophy when appearing on The Green Line on Sunday, a podcast hosted by NBPC leaders.
The businessman, whose campaign has been marked by his signature proposal to build a wall along the United States-Mexico border and harsh language toward immigrants, said “Border Patrol people are incredible,” but agency leadership is standing in their way.
“I happen to have great respect for the people on the border, the people securing the border,” Trump said, “but they've been told they can't do it.” He added that management has told agents to “stand back.”
In his administration, Trump promised he would give the agency more autonomy.
“We’re going to let them do their job the way they want to do it,” he said. The agency has faced some criticism in recent years for its use-of-force policies.
Trump also vowed to bring new leadership to Customs and Border Protection.
“The Border Patrol is not being respected,” Trump said. “They’re not being taken care of.”
After confirming the NBPC leaders agreed with his proposal to build a wall along the southern border, Trump said he would base his policies on the wisdom of the rank and file.
“If and when I'm elected I'm going to be relying very much on the professionalism of the Border Patrol to tell us what to do,” Trump said. “They know better than any consultant you can hire. They know better than anybody. We'll meeting with you and listening to you.”
He added his commitment to the Border Patrol was unflinching.
“I have your back,” he said to the union officials. “We are with you 100 percent.”
Art Del Cueto, president of the NBPC local in Tucson, Ariz., who also appeared on the program, took a shot at CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske while recalling meeting Trump.
“When you speak to Kerlikowske, he's listening and pays attention because he has to,” Del Cueto said. “But Trump was actually paying attention because he cared.”
NBPC is a subsidiary of the American Federation of Government Employees, which in December endorsed Hillary Clinton in her bid for the White House.