President Donald Trump speaks to reporters following his teleconference with troops from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Associated Press) 
 
 President Donald Trump speaks to reporters following his teleconference with troops from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Associated Press) 
 
 President Donald Trump speaks to reporters following his teleconference with troops from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Associated Press) President Donald Trump speaks to reporters following his teleconference with troops from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Associated Press) 
 
 PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump is threatening to close the U.S. border with Mexico for an undisclosed period of time if his administration determines that its southern ally has lost "control" on its side. 
 
 Trump is citing the situation involving migrants camped in Tijuana, Mexico, after traveling in a caravan to reach the United States. 
 
 Trump calls it "a really bad situation" there and says that "if we find that it's incontrollable," then "we will close entry into the country for period of time until we can get it under control. The whole border." 
 
 The president also says he's given American troops at the border the "OK" to use lethal force against migrants "if they have to." 
 
 Trump tells reporters: "I hope they don't have to," but he says, "I have no choice" because "you're dealing with rough people." 

 President Trump Donald John TrumpWhite House: Pelosi's plan to reopen the government 'a non-starter' Warren pledges to donate salary during shutdown Trump campaign manager hits back at Romney over op-ed slamming president's character MORE on Thursday threatened to close off the southern border, telling reporters that he would "close entry into the country" if immigration gets "uncontrollable." 
 
 "If we find that it gets to a level where we’re going to lose control or people are going to start getting hurt, we will close entry into the country for a period of time until we can get it under control," he said. 
 
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 Trump added that he meant the "whole border," though he appeared to be referring only to the southern border. 
 
 “We’re either going to have a border or we’re not," he said, adding that Mexico wouldn't "be able to sell their cars" into the U.S. 
 
 Trump also claimed that the U.S. closed the border earlier this week, though it was unclear what he was referring to. 
 
 Earlier this week traffic lanes near a key port of entry in San Diego were temporarily shut down. 
 
 “Two days ago, we closed the border. We actually just closed it," Trump said. "We said, ‘Nobody’s coming in.’ Because it’s out of control.” 
 
 Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Kirstjen Michele NielsenImmigration strategy for House Democrats: legislate and investigate Kelly blames Sessions for family separations Trump’s shifting Cabinet to introduce new faces MORE said Monday that the lanes were shut down because a large number of migrants were planning to "rush the border." 
 
 Earlier this month, the Pentagon deployed roughly 5,800 troops to the border at the request of Trump. 
 
 The president has claimed that a group of Central American asylum seekers traveling through Mexico and toward the U.S. border present a national security threat. 
 
 "You're dealing with a minimum of 500 serious criminals, so I'm not going to let the military be taken of advantage of," Trump said Thursday. "I have no choice. Do I want that to happen? Absolutely not. You're dealing with rough people." 
 
 Homeland Security Department officials had said in a conference call with reporters earlier this week that they had identified 500 criminals traveling in the caravan, The New York Times reported. 
 
 Trump also confirmed Thursday that he had authorized troops at the border to use force against immigrants if necessary.
– President Trump on Thursday threatened to close the entire border with Mexico if the "bad situation" becomes "uncontrollable," reports the AP. He was referencing the migrant caravan located in Tijuana in his conversation with reporters, in which he said if it "gets to a level where we’re going to lose control or people are going to start getting hurt, we will close entry into the country for period of time until we can get it under control. The whole border." Trump also said this has actually already happened, in what the Hill reports was an apparent reference to traffic lanes near a port of entry in San Diego being closed. "Two days ago, we closed the border. We actually just closed it. We said, 'Nobody’s coming in.' Because it’s out of control." Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen earlier this week explained the closures by saying a group of migrants had intended to "rush the border." As for Trump's Thursday comments, he also added that he has authorized US troops to use force against migrants if needed. "I hope they don't have to," he says, but he "had no choice" because "you're dealing with rough people."