Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. New York Times: Trump Wanted a Snake-Filled Trench at Mexican Border VOA News U.S. President Donald Trump wanted a trench filled with snakes and alligators along an electric-charged border wall topped with flesh-piercing spikes, The New York Times reports. The newspaper says the president also suggested U.S. soldiers shoot migrants in the legs if they try to cross into the United States before staffers talked him out of it. .