Donald Trump’s MAGA movement is in something of a meltdown over a ruling from the conservative-dominated US Supreme Court, which today struck down the President’s attempt to end birthright citizenship by executive fiat.
Birthright citizenship – which, as the term suggests, grants citizenship to anyone born in a country – is common in the Americas, but less so elsewhere.
Australia, for instance, does not have it.
It’s enshrined in the 14th Amendment to America’s Constitution, which states: “All persons born or naturalised in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
Hence today’s ruling from the Supreme Court, which found Mr Trump could not nullify birthright citizenship with a simple executive order. If he wants to get rid of it, he’ll have to amend the Constitution, a much more involved process.
Mr Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller, was among those speaking of the ruling in apocalyptic terms.
“Here’s a pretty good clue your constitutional interpretation is wrong: if your ruling requires you to suicide your civilisation, your reading of the Constitution is wrong,” Mr Miller told Fox News.
“This is a deep knife wound in the heart of the American republic.”
Meanwhile, Mr Trump’s annual financial disclosure report has been released, and it shows just how much money he’s made from cryptocurrency ventures while in office.
The sitting President has raked in about $1.7 billion, adding hugely to his wealth at a time when he controls the levers of government – which he’s been using to loosen regulations on crypto.
In a statement today, the White House insisted “neither the President nor his family has ever engaged, or will ever engage, in conflicts of interest”.
Read on for more updates.
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