PLAYING THE HITS

Trump Vows to End Birthright Citizenship—Again—if Elected in 2024

Trump previously said he planned to terminate birthright citizenship in 2018.

Donald Trump returned to a familiar refrain Tuesday, claiming that he’ll end birthright citizenship immediately should he return to the White House in 2024. “On day one of my new term in office, I will sign an executive order making clear to federal agencies that … going forward, the future children of illegal aliens will not receive automatic U.S. citizenship,” Trump said in a video statement posted to the Trump War Room Twitter account. He continued that the executive order “will explain the clear meaning of the 14th Amendment,” seemingly looking to change the long-accepted interpretation that anyone born in the U.S. is granted citizenship. But Trump’s pledge wasn’t exactly new—Trump said he planned to terminate birthright citizenship via executive order in 2018 while he was still in office. The following year, he told reporters at the White House that “we’re looking at that very seriously, birthright citizenship,” but never actually signed an executive order to end the practice.