"I know they got it wrong, but that's okay": Trump on birthright citizenship ruling
North Dakota, July 2
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his criticism of the Supreme Court's handling of birthright citizenship while praising recent rulings that he said restored presidential authority and reinforced a merit-based system.
Speaking at the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, Trump said he believed the court had erred on birthright citizenship but expressed confidence the issue would eventually be resolved.
"We'll take care of the birthright citizenship because that was not meant for rich people from other countries. It was meant for the babies of slaves. If you look at it, it was a month after the Civil War ended that it went through. That's because it was meant for the babies of slaves. It wasn't meant for rich people from China. They came over in Gulfstreams," Trump said.
"I believe, no, I know they got it wrong, but that's okay," he added.
Trump also hailed a recent Supreme Court ruling that he said restored significant authority to the presidency. The US Supreme Court on June 29 significantly expanded President Donald Trump's authority to remove leaders of executive branch agencies, overturning a 91-year-old precedent that limited the President's power to dismiss Senate-confirmed officials.
"You know, a little while ago, not in yesterday's decisions where we actually had a good day except for birthright citizenship, we had something that gives back tremendous power to the President of the United States, and we won that, I think, 6 to 3," he said.
"It was taken away from another Roosevelt. It was taken away from FDR in 1932. For almost a hundred years, that's been up for grabs. It was called the Slaughter case, and a lot of people didn't think it would ever be won. We won it two days ago in the Supreme Court," Trump said.
"It gives power back to the president at a time when the president really needs power. It was the most important decision of all of them, I think," he added.
Trump also praised what he emphasised as the end of race-conscious admissions policies, saying the country had returned to a merit-based system. "Our country now is based again on merit," Trump said.
"So if you're a student with very average marks and you looked a certain way or you acted a certain way or whatever and you get into the finest school in the world, and then you're somebody else that looked a certain way or acted a certain way and you have all A-pluses and you have all great marks and board numbers that are through the roof, way above other people, but you don't get in and they get in, it's all over with. It's based now on merit," he said.
"I don't even know if people know. The fake news didn't want to cover it. To me, that's one of the greatest decisions, and that took the courage of the Supreme Court because our country became great because of merit. We became great because of merit," Trump added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
From an Indian perspective, this "merit-based" rhetoric is worrying. It sounds good in theory but often ends up favoring those who already have advantages. Our own reservations system in India shows how complex these issues are. Trump seems to be playing to his base rather than addressing real problems.
What Trump said about birthright citizenship is historically inaccurate and legally dangerous. The 14th Amendment was about equality and citizenship for all born in America, period. Trying to restrict it based on wealth or race is against the very spirit of the Constitution. And praising the "Slaughter case" ruling that gives more power to the president? That's authoritarianism, not democracy. 😤
Watching American politics from India is fascinating. Trump is clearly trying to reshape the judiciary to his liking. This "merit-based" argument sounds like code for rolling back affirmative action, which affects many Indian-American families. And the executive power expansion is worrying for any democracy. Jai Hind!
I understand Trump's frustration with the SCOTUS ruling, but his approach is wrong. He keeps attacking institutions and trying to bend them to his will. The merit system he's praising has historically excluded people of color and immigrants. As someone who studied in the US, I can say that diversity in education makes it stronger.
The irony! Trump says birthright citizenship was for "babies of slaves" but then complains about rich Chinese coming on Gulfstreams. Meanwhile, many Indian professionals on H1-B visas are struggling to
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.