TL/DR –
President Trump is considering revoking the U.S. citizenship of actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, a claim he made in a social media post, stating that she is “not in the best interests of our Great Country”. O’Donnell, who recently moved to Ireland, has been an outspoken critic of Trump and his policies. However, legal experts, including law professor Amanda Frost, argue that the President has no authority to take away the citizenship of a native-born U.S. citizen, citing a 1967 Supreme Court ruling that the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution prevents the government from taking away citizenship.
Trump Contemplates Revoking Rosie O’Donnell’s U.S. Citizenship
President Trump is mulling over “taking away” U.S. citizenship of his longtime adversary, actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, notwithstanding a Supreme Court precedent that expressly forbids such a governmental action.
In a social media post on Saturday, Trump cited that considering O’Donnell’s actions as contrary to the interest of the country, he may revoke her citizenship. He commented that O’Donnell, who recently moved to Ireland, should perhaps stay there indefinitely.
The duo has a history of public criticism that predates Trump’s political career. Recently, O’Donnell voiced her disapproval of Trump and his administration’s actions, including the approval of a substantial GOP-endorsed tax breaks and spending cuts plan.
O’Donnell responded to Trump on social media, expressing her opposition to him. In her post, she referred to Trump as a fraudulent, criminal, and narcissistic individual. She attributed her move to Ireland to her disdain for him and his actions.
Trump’s threat to revoke citizenship is nothing new – his former adviser and one-time ally, Elon Musk, faced similar threats. However, O’Donnell, a U.S. native, has a constitutional right to her citizenship. According to the U.S. State Department, U.S. citizens can voluntarily relinquish nationality, but it must be voluntary and with the intent of renouncing U.S. citizenship.
Trump has been attempting to restrict paths to citizenship and access to green cards since his recent inauguration. His executive order to end birthright citizenship was recently blocked by a federal judge.
The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, as per a 1967 Supreme Court case, forbids the government from revoking citizenship. Thus, Trump lacks the authority to revoke the citizenship of a U.S. born citizen, as stated by Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law.
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