Previews wall and "Mexico will pay" claim at South Carolina Freedom Summit

Speaking at the Citizens United-organized South Carolina Freedom Summit at the Peace Center in Greenville on May 9, 2015 — more than a month before formally announcing his candidacy — Trump delivered anti-immigration remarks that previewed his 2016 platform. He called Mexico "the worst," said migrants were coming across the border "like a sieve" and "taking our jobs," and pledged to build "the greatest wall you have ever seen," adding "You know who's gonna pay for the wall? Mexico." He also floated a 35 percent tariff on cars manufactured in Mexico. Fact-checkers and economists have characterized the claim that Mexico would fund a U.S. border wall as unfounded, and the "taking our jobs" framing as contradicted by labor-market evidence; the speech is widely cited as an early, public articulation of the signature promises he would repeat throughout the campaign.

"I would build the greatest wall you have ever seen. The greatest. You know who's gonna pay for the wall? Mexico." Quote verified against source