Pentagon prepared more than 5,000 troops from "high-profile warfighting units" for deployment to the southwestern border of the United States, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing military officials.
According to one defense official cited in the report, armed infantry and support troops from the army's "most experienced combat formations" could be at the border within days following US President Donald Trump's comments that the illegal migrants will be met with a military response. The officials also reportedly said that the total number of active duty troops at the border may "quickly" reach 7,000, with the number ultimately climbing to 10,000.
Earlier this week, Pentagon confirmed that it was sending 1,500 more troops to the south border to join the 2,200 active duty officers already sent to the Joint Task Force-North based in El Paso, Texas.
