President Donald Trump built his political brand from spurious claims that former President Barack Obama was not actually a United States citizen and was born in Kenya.
Trump dogged Obama for his birth certificate and, once Obama provided it, still refused to acknowledge its legitimacy. The "birther" movement caught steam and as of 2017, 51 percent of Republicans still believed that Obama was born in Kenya.
In a Thursday press conference, Trump once again amplified the idea that a Black American lawmaker isn't actually American.
This time, his target was Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), whom Democratic nominee Joe Biden tapped to be his running mate in the November election. Harris was born in Oakland, California in 1964.
Watch below.
President Trump on claims that :Kamala Harris isn't eligible to run for Vice President because she's an anchor baby: "I heard it today that she doesn't meet the requirements...I have no idea if that's right. I would have assumed the Democrats would have checked that out." pic.twitter.com/H887X43GJK
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 13, 2020
Trump was asked about a recent piece in Newsweek by conservative law professor John Eastman, in which he attempts to make a case that Harris is legally ineligible for the presidency and, subsequently, the vice presidency. The piece was widely panned for attempting to legitimize a racist argument.
Trump said:
"I just heard that. I heard it today, that she doesn't meet the requirements, and by the way, the lawyer that wrote that piece is a very highly qualified, talented lawyer."
While the President didn't commit to a position that Harris is ineligible, people called him out for legitimizing the argument from the podium.
White supremacy is a belief system based on the idea that ppl of color, esp Black ppl, are fundamentally illegitimate as equal citizens or human beings.
Calling into question the citizenship of elected officials of color, esp when the answer is obvious, is one way it manifests.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 13, 2020
Whether it's “where's the birth certificate?" to “send her back!" to “where were her parents from?"- these contrived claims (which are almost never levied at white US officials born abroad) catch on bc the supremacist idea that poc are inherently less legitimate has deep roots.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 13, 2020
It's not a coincidence that the GOP advanced tropes about non-citizenship to President Obama, Reps. Tlaib, Omar & Pressley, & now Sen. Kamala Harris; especially in moments of power.
Implying poc “don't belong" in our country is one way of protecting a white supremacist vision.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 13, 2020
The birtherism smear is racist. It's a lie. And it's disgusting. It's the epitome of Donald Trump.
Kamala Harris is an American. She's ready to serve on day one. Period.
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) August 13, 2020
Kamala Harris is a citizen.
And Donald Trump is racist.
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) August 14, 2020
This will not fly under the radar. We must speak up and denounce this “unpatriotic" attack on a fellow American citizen and the elected United States Senator from California.
https://t.co/remUxctAtF
— Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) August 14, 2020
This is what racism sounds like. https://t.co/A3EpuYHIjI
— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) August 13, 2020
People leapt to defend Harris.
On Trump's nutty claim that @KamalaHarris is ineligible for President, I gave some choice views tonight. Look, I defended @tedcruz's eligibility 4 years ago, and this one is even easier. Far easier. Anyone who floats such nonsense disgraces our Constitution. https://t.co/c4TlFRDEEI
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) August 14, 2020
I was born to two immigrants who were green card holders in NYC, NY, USA. I too am a citizen able to run for President, and if you are like me, so are you. Case closed. https://t.co/0EMGhDNqEK
— Naveed Jamali (@NaveedAJamali) August 13, 2020
Cruz & McCain were born outside the 50 US States. Both were born US citizens & eligible to run. Bush & Obama did not amplify the issue.
Obama & @KamalaHarris were born in the 50 states -HI & CA- yet their citizenship & eligibility are questioned. Wonder what they have in common? https://t.co/z5vcWTCbG5
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) August 14, 2020
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