President Donald Trump on Thursday defended his proposed wall along the US southern border, saying his position "has never changed or evolved," and that Mexico would pay for the barrier "directly, or indirectly."

"The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it," Trump wrote in a pair of early morning tweets.

"The $20 billion dollar Wall is 'peanuts' compared to what Mexico makes from the U.S. NAFTA is a bad joke!"

It comes after his chief of staff, John Kelly, told Fox News that the president's opinions had evolved since his original campaign promises about its construction and funding.

"Campaigning is very different from governing," said Mr Kelly on Wednesday.

 

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