Trump floats idea of solar panels on Mexico border wall

US President Donald Trump has suggested the construction of a border wall with neighbours Mexico could be partly financed by attaching solar panels to its structure.

Speaking at a rally in Iowa on Wednesday, Trump said the panels could be fixed to the wall and provide cheap energy for the country.

Building a border wall with Mexico was one of Trump’s key campaign promises, as he pledged to control the immigration flow from the south of the country. He also said that Mexico would pay for construction of the wall, which President Enrique Peña Nieto has rejected.

Trump said: "We're thinking of something that's unique, we're talking about the southern border, lots of sun, lots of heat. We're thinking about building the wall as a solar wall, so it creates energy and pays for itself. And this way, Mexico will have to pay much less money, and that's good, right?"

Trump said the panels could be fixed to the wall and provide cheap energy for the country

In his now trademark style, Trump discarded fully-formed sentences in favour of short bursts of praise for his new idea.

"Solar wall, panels, beautiful. I mean actually think of it, the higher it goes the more valuable it is. Pretty good imagination right? Good? My idea."

The President also stirred a certain amount of controversy during the speech when he claimed that “I just don’t want a poor person” for key positions in his administration.

Trump has loaded his cabinet with several wealthy former businessmen and investment bank executives, including the likes of economic adviser Gary Cohn and Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin.