Ah, the U.S. Constitution. That sturdy, time-tested document designed to keep power-hungry politicians from doing whatever the hell they want. But what happens when a newly appointed Criminal president starts picking away at its foundations, hoping that everyone will notice to distract from whatever the hell he’s really doing that we don’t hear about?
Donald Trump, never one to let pesky things like laws get in his way, has been dipping his toe—no, let’s be real, his whole leg—into dismantling the authority of the Constitution. And his latest target? The 14th Amendment, specifically the parts about citizenship and what it means to be a “natural-born” American. If he can get legislatures and courts to turn a blind eye to those rules, it won’t just be an attack on immigrants—it’ll be an open invitation to ignore any part of the Constitution that gets in his way.
Trump’s 14th Amendment Problem (Or Is It Our Problem?)
Trump has long toyed with the idea that birthright citizenship—the bedrock principle that says if you’re born on U.S. soil, you’re a citizen—is somehow illegitimate. His argument? That “anchor babies” and “chain migration” are ruining America. Reality check: The 14th Amendment was literally written to prevent politicians from deciding who deserves to be American based on their own biases. If we look closer at Trump and his familial history the very thing he’s trying to dismantle for Latinx can also apply to himself. You see Trump… is just a second generation American citizen. That means if he does this he would be eliminated from citizenship himself. His grandfather traveled here from Germany years ago which means Trump’s father is an “anchor baby” and Trump himself can also take the title of “anchor baby.” In addition, Melania Trump has utilized “chain migration” with her parents and Barron… is by definition an “anchor baby.”
But let’s not pretend this is just about immigration. If Trump gets away with redefining what “natural-born citizen” means, he creates a precedent: constitutional law is negotiable if enough politicians and judges are willing to play along. And once that door is open, it will take one helluva time to get it closed again.
Elon Musk, Trump’s Shadow Cabinet, and the Art of Bypassing Democracy
Speaking of ignoring constitutional requirements, let’s talk about Elon Musk. You may have noticed that Trump has found a way to give his moneybag billionaire a significant role in a shadowy, unofficial agency under his direct control. That’s not a conflict of interest at all. I mean the dude that donated $250 million dollars to Trump’s campaign now has a direct seat at the table with the president? Well, not to worry, Musk isn’t a natural-born citizen, which means he’s constitutionally barred from holding any government position that would put him in line for the presidency. Right?
Oh wait, isn’t that in the Constitution too?! (You see were I’m going here right?)
For now, I’ll digress. Here’s the thing, Trump created an executive-controlled agency that doesn’t appear to have to follow the same legal scrutiny as a formal government agency. That means he can install Musk (or anyone else, really) into positions of power without pesky constitutional roadblocks. A shadow government, answerable only to him. No oversight. No accountability. Just raw executive authority.
Let’s play a little game of “What Could Go Wrong?”
What’s Next? Pick Your Favorite Right to Lose!
- If Trump gets away with gutting the 14th Amendment, what’s stopping him from moving on to another “inconvenient” part of the Constitution? Let’s take a look at some top contenders:
- The First Amendment (Freedom of Speech & Press): Trump already wants to punish journalists, suppress protesters that aren’t a part of his loony bin mobs (the one he fondly calls his base), and criminalize dissent. If he can make citizenship conditional, what’s stopping him from making free speech conditional, too?
- The Second Amendment (Right to Bear Arms): MAGA world, are you paying attention? If Trump can get the government to ignore one part of the Constitution, what makes you think he won’t come for your guns if it serves his interests?
- The 22nd Amendment (Presidential Term Limits): Dictators love unlimited power. Trump has already joked about being “president for life.” Imagine a world where that’s not a joke.
What about Article II of the Constitution detailing what the requirements of being a US president are. What’s stopping him from attempting to modify that.
Wake Up, America—This Isn’t a Drill
Trump’s war on the 14th Amendment isn’t just about immigration or ballot access. It’s a test run. If he can get courts, legislatures, and the public to accept that a key constitutional protection can be ignored, then every constitutional protection is up for grabs.
We’re not just watching a political comeback—we’re watching a slow-motion coup against the very framework of American democracy. And our Senators and Representatives are letting it happen.
