In McAllen, Texas, President Trump visited a border patrol station where border patrol agents briefed him about the situation at the border.

President Trump meets with Border Patrol agents in McAllen, Texas, and thanks them for their tireless work to keep our country safe: pic.twitter.com/sDHmkcEgAi

— The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) January 10, 2019

Border agents expressed support for building a border wall or barrier. One showed an image of a tunnel illegal immigrants had carved — under a wall.

This border patrol agent in Texas is mostly presenting examples to President Trump of smugglers who have tried to move drugs and people through ports of entry… also a tunnel under existing wall. pic.twitter.com/MwwW5NtKXt

— Justin Fishel (@JustinFishelABC) January 10, 2019

Trump called border patrol agents heroes and expressed his support for their efforts.

At meeting on border security in McAllen, Texas, Pres. Trump praises CBP agents as "heroes."

"I just want to say you have a friend in this administration and a friend in me." https://t.co/1QHVGTRFOZ pic.twitter.com/tu71ZPinH3

— ABC News (@ABC) January 10, 2019

This is what our #BorderPatrol Agents encounter DAILY at the south Texas Border.

This is NOT a manufactured crisis! https://t.co/xWdPiVRmvL pic.twitter.com/SAOKMblVEZ

— Sergio Tinoco (@VeteranTinoco) January 9, 2019

And a Texas landowner offered President Trump his belt buckle– as a gift for his son, Barron.

He approached the president, unclipped his belt buckle, and handed it to the president.

“He’s bribing the president!” joked Trump, looking at the cameras. “Can you imagine? I want this to be out in the open everybody!”

Texas Rancher whips off his giant belt buckle and gives it to Trump as a present for his son Barron Trump.

Trump said he was trying to "bribe" him with the belt buckle.

(vid via @charliespiering) pic.twitter.com/OFnwkK7emE

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 10, 2019

“You can give it to your son Barron,” the rancher replied.

“I don’t know if this is worth ten cents or $50,000,” Trump said, holding up the gold-colored buckle to examine it. He then took it and gave it to his aides.

While in Texas, President Trump explained again how Mexico would pay for the wall. He said:

“When I say Mexico’s going to pay for the wall that’s what i said, Mexico’s going to pay. I didn’t say they’re going to write me a check for $20 billion or $10 billion. They weren’t going to write a check. I said they’re going to pay for the wall. And if Congress approves this incredible trade bill that we made with Mexico and Canada by the way but with Mexico in this case, they’re paying for the wall many many times over.”

Democrats, the president said, “don’t give a damn” about crime, or people coming into the country and stabbing Americans. Mr. Trump said a steel barrier or wall would pay for itself every three or four months, and explained that Mexico is paying for the wall “indirectly.”

“The only way you have a strong border is you have a wall or steel barrier,” the president said.

Shutdown negotiations disintegrated Wednesday when Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said Democrats won’t support funding for the wall and President Trump walked out of the room, saying “bye-bye.”