Donald Trump on Wednesday reportedly threatened to use more military force along the southern border and expressed frustration that troops can’t “act like they would normally act” because of laws that Democratic lawmakers won’t change.

“I’m going to have to call up more military. Our military, don’t forget, can’t act like a military would act. Because if they got a little rough, everybody would go crazy,” Trump reportedly said during a press conference Wednesday, according to a White House pool report.

“Our military can’t act like they would normally act… they have all these horrible laws that the Democrats won’t change they will not change them.”

Trump also insisted that border security would be a huge issue for Democrats in the upcoming 2020 election. “…I think they will pay a very big price in 2020 for all of the things, whether it is the fake witch hunt they start out, or whether it is a situation like this,” he said. “I think the border is going to be an incredible issue.”

After hearing the border stories, Pres says he's "going to have to call up more military," even though they "can’t act like a military would act. Because if they got a little rough, everybody would go crazy." Says Dems will pay a very big price for inaction on border security. pic.twitter.com/5EPjQO9fGt

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) April 10, 2019

The president answered reporters’ questions after listening to stories from fundraiser attendees who said they have had run-ins with illegal aliens or have had migrants found dead on their ranches.

Trump drew intense criticism when he announced his 2016 presidential bid for saying Mexico was sending rapists and criminals to the U.S., but he said Wednesday the ranchers’ stories were far worse.

“That turned out to be nothing compared to what happens on those journeys up. Nothing. My speech was so tame, as it turned out,” the president said.

Trump rattled many fellow Republicans by pushing out Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen over his frustration with the situation at the border, part of a broad effort to overhaul the department’s leadership.

White House immigration adviser Stephen Miller, who is seen as being behind the purge, is also pushing a raft of hard-line proposals intended to stem the flow of Central American migrants, including making it harder to seek asylum and making it possible to detain children for longer periods of time.

WATCH:

At roundtable in Texas, President Trump laments that US troops at the border can't get "a little rough," because "everybody would go crazy … can’t act like they would normally act — or like, let’s say, another military from another country would act." pic.twitter.com/q1TPW24Csa

— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 10, 2019