President Donald Trump on Monday said the United States is the only country "that dignifies" the subject of birthright citizenship "with even discussion."
Trump argued that the longstanding interpretation of the 14th Amendment has been distorted far beyond its original intent, particularly as it relates to illegal immigration and so-called "birth tourism."
"Birthright Citizenship is not about rich people from China, and the rest of the World, who want their children, and hundreds of thousands more, FOR PAY, to ridiculously become citizens of the United States of America," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
"It is about the BABIES OF SLAVES!" Trump added, emphasizing that the constitutional provision was designed in the aftermath of the Civil War to ensure citizenship for formerly enslaved people, not to grant automatic citizenship universally.
Trump also criticized what he described as abuse of the system, claiming foreign nationals exploit U.S. laws to secure citizenship for their children while other countries benefit economically.
"The World is getting rich selling citizenships to our Country," he said, adding that the U.S. legal system has allowed the issue to persist because of what he called weak judicial interpretations.
The remarks come as Trump's executive order limiting birthright citizenship faces a major test at the Supreme Court, which will hear oral arguments Wednesday.
The directive seeks to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the United States if neither parent is a citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Supporters of the policy argue that the 14th Amendment's phrase "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" has been misapplied for decades, and that clarifying it is necessary to restore the rule of law and discourage illegal immigration.
Trump's executive order asserts that citizenship is a "priceless and profound gift" and should not be automatically extended to individuals whose parents are in the country unlawfully or only temporarily.
However, the effort faces legal challenges rooted in longstanding precedent.
A key case, United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898), affirmed that individuals born on U.S. soil are citizens, even if their parents are foreign nationals — a ruling many legal experts say still governs.
Critics argue Trump's move is unconstitutional and could affect hundreds of thousands of births annually.
But conservatives counter that the modern interpretation of birthright citizenship incentivizes illegal immigration and strains public resources.
The debate has also revived questions about the original meaning of the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 to overturn the Dred Scott decision and secure citizenship for formerly enslaved Americans.
For Trump and his allies, the issue is about restoring that original intent while closing loopholes that, they argue, undermine national sovereignty.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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