Trump Vows to Nullify Part of Constitution by Executive Order ‘On Day One’ of Second Term

Donald Trump/Truth Social

Former President Donald Trump promised to nullify a key clause of the Fourteenth Amendment if he is elected president again, though he does not have the authority to do so.

Trump has long taken issue with the citizenship clause of the amendment, which states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

This means that under the Constitution, anyone born in the United States is a citizen of the country, regardless of the immigration status of the parents – with very few exceptions (such as cases where a parent has diplomatic immunity). To change this or any other provision of the document, two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states would have to agree to ratify the change. (As an alternative to Congress’s role, two-thirds of the states could request an amendment be considered by the rest of the states.)

The former president, however, said this “policy” is not working and that he would change it on the first day of his second term.

“Joe Biden has launched an illegal foreign invasion of our country by allowing a record number of illegal aliens to storm across our borders,” Trump said in a video posted on his Truth Social account on Tuesday. “All of their future children will become automatic U.S. citizens. Can you imagine? They’ll be eligible for welfare, taxpayer-funded healthcare, the right to vote, chain migration, and countless other government benefits.”

He then explained he will simply write the clause out of existence.

“As part of my plan to secure the border on day one – my new term in office – I will sign an executive order making clear to federal agencies that under the correct interpretation of the law, going forward, the future children of illegal aliens will not receive automatic U.S. citizenship,” Trump said. “It’s things like this that bring millions of people to our country.”

It’s not the first time Trump has toyed with the idea of ending birthright citizenship. He floated it as president, but ultimately attempted no action.

He has also suggested ending the Constitution altogether while baselessly claiming the 2020 election was rigged against him.

“A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,” he said in December.

Trump is running for the 2024 Republican nomination and faces a growing field of candidates. However, he leads them all by a wide margin.