The trump wall calculator is a construction cost tool designed to estimate the cost and resources required to construct a border wall between the United States and Mexico.
This proposal was a central aspect of former President Donald Trump’s campaign and his presidency. The calculator would consider various factors to provide a rough estimate of the project’s scope and expenses.
Trump’s Wall Calculator
| Length (miles) | Height (feet) | Width (feet) | Material Cost ($/ft³) | Foundation Cost ($/mile) | Tech Cost ($/mile) | Other Costs ($) | Total Cost ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 30 | 1 | 20 | 1,000,000 | 500,000 | 2,500,000,000 | 3,800,000,000 |
| 1,000 | 40 | 2 | 25 | 1,200,000 | 600,000 | 5,000,000,000 | 9,800,000,000 |
| 1,500 | 50 | 3 | 30 | 1,500,000 | 750,000 | 7,500,000,000 | 18,375,000,000 |
- Wall volume cost: 1000 40 2 * 25 = $2,000,000,000
- Foundation cost: 1000 * 1,200,000 = $1,200,000,000
- Technology cost: 1000 * 600,000 = $600,000,000
- Other costs: $5,000,000,000
- Total: $2,000,000,000 + $1,200,000,000 + $600,000,000 + $5,000,000,000 = $9,800,000,000
Trump’s Wall Formula
Total Cost = (L H W M) + (L F) + (S * L) + O
Where:
- L = Length of the wall in miles
- H = Height of the wall in feet
- W = Width of the wall in feet
- M = Cost of materials per cubic foot
- F = Foundation cost per mile
- S = Surveillance and technology cost per mile
- O = Other costs (land acquisition, labor, etc.)
Example Calculation
Assuming a 1,000-mile wall, 30 feet high, 1 foot wide, with material costs at $20 per cubic foot:
Total Cost = (1000 30 1 20) + (1000 1,000,000) + (500,000 * 1000) + 5,000,000,000
Total Cost = $600,000,000 + $1,000,000,000 + $500,000,000 + $5,000,000,000
Total Cost = $7,100,000,000
How Much Does Trump’s Wall Cost?
Official Government Estimates
- The Department of Homeland Security estimated $21.6 billion for 1,250 miles of wall.
- A GAO report suggested it could cost as much as $25 billion for 722 miles.
- Trump’s budget request included $8.6 billion for wall construction.
Independent Analyses
- MIT Technology Review estimated costs between $27 billion to $40 billion.
- The Washington Post calculated a range from $15 billion to $25 billion.
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