After Donald Trump made a controversial promise to eliminate birthright citizenship in an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker, his niece, Mary Trump, quickly fired back on MSNBC, dismissing her uncle’s argument. Speaking with Charles Coleman Jr., the president’s niece didn’t hold back, accusing him of being unaware of the Constitution’s contents.
“Look, let’s be very clear here –– it’s despicable,” Mary Trump began. “Also, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I think that’s the first time he’s ever heard any part of the Constitution in his life.” She continued, calling Trump a “deeply ignorant, cruel man” and pointed out the irony of his stance given their family’s immigrant background, told Newsweek.
“He seems to forget that his father was a first-generation American,” she said. “So, if it hadn’t been for birthright citizenship, my grandfather probably wouldn’t have been allowed to stay here.” Mary Trump also criticized her uncle’s stance on immigration, accusing him of harboring racist views. “Obviously, the immigrants Donald hates are people of color,” she alleged.
“What he also doesn’t understand is the reason why we have the 14th Amendment was that we enslaved an entire race of people, and it was to ensure that after the Civil War was over and they were freed, they were, in short, protected by citizenship being conferred upon them.”
She added that her uncle’s proposal was more about “a power grab” than any real policy change, stating, “I don’t think there is any mechanism by which he can make it happen.” However, she expressed concern that the country was once again relying on Republicans to protect American citizens, concluding, “This is another instance in which we are in the unfortunate position of having to rely on Republicans to do the right thing and protect American citizens.”