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Donald Trump says U.S. will slash Central America aid over migrant caravans

Click to play video: 'U.S. to cut foreign aid as migrant caravan continues north'
U.S. to cut foreign aid as migrant caravan continues north
WATCH: U.S. President Donald Trump is saying criminals and Middle Easterners are mixed in with the migrant caravan making its way to the American border. As Ines de La Cuetara reports, critics say Trump's baseless claims could be a way to get Republican voters out to the polls in November.  – Oct 22, 2018

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Monday the U.S. would begin “cutting off, or substantially reducing” aid to three Central American nations over a migrant caravan heading to the U.S. southern border.

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WATCH: U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about his threat on Twitter on Monday about cutting aid to Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, saying the three countries have done nothing to stop the migrant caravan as it was moving through their countries towards Mexico’s border.

Click to play video: 'Trump backs threat to cut aid to Honduras, Guatemala due to migrant caravan'
Trump backs threat to cut aid to Honduras, Guatemala due to migrant caravan

Trump tweeted: “Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were not able to do the job of stopping people from leaving their country and coming illegally to the U.S.”

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READ MORE: Here’s why Donald Trump is threatening Mexico over migrant caravans — again

The three countries received a combined more than $500 million in funding from the U.S. in fiscal year 2017, though it was not immediately clear how much Trump is seeking to cut.

The Monday morning tweets marked the latest escalation by the president, who is seeking to re-inject immigration politics into the national conversation in the closing weeks of the midterm elections.

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WATCH: U.S.-bound caravan of migrants press on through Mexico

Click to play video: 'U.S.-bound caravan of migrants press on through Mexico'
U.S.-bound caravan of migrants press on through Mexico

On a three-day campaign swing to Western states last week, Trump raised alarm over thousands of migrants traveling through Mexico to the U.S. and threatened to seal off the U.S.-Mexico border if they weren’t stopped.

As the migrants continued their northward march about 900 miles from the U.S. border, Trump tweeted that, “Sadly, it looks like Mexico’s Police and Military are unable to stop the Caravan.

READ MORE: Migrant caravan swells to 5,000 as it marches through Mexico

He added: “I have alerted Border Patrol and Military that this is a National Emergy.” White House officials could not immediately provide details.

A Pentagon spokesman, Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis, said the Pentagon has received no new orders to provide troops for border security.

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— AP writer Bob Burns contributed.

WATCH: Trump says migrant caravan is ‘man-made’

Click to play video: 'Trump claims migrant caravan is ‘man-made’'
Trump claims migrant caravan is ‘man-made’

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