Did Donald Trump threaten to revoke citizenship from Americans?
Executive summary
Yes — President Donald Trump has publicly threatened to revoke or “denaturalize” the citizenship of certain Americans, repeatedly saying he would do so “absolutely” or “if I have the power,” and naming both naturalized immigrants and political foes as targets; those statements are documented in multiple news reports and policy analyses [1] [2] [3]. Legal experts and civil-rights groups warn that the president cannot unilaterally strip citizenship and that denaturalization is a narrow, court-driven process historically used sparingly and bound by high legal standards [4] [5].
1. Trump’s words: repeated public threats to denaturalize
Across speeches and social posts, Trump has said he would denaturalize Americans he considers problematic, at times specifying naturalized immigrants convicted of fraud and at other times making sweeping statements about “denaturaliz[ing] migrants who undermine domestic tranquility,” and even threatening high-profile figures such as Rosie O’Donnell — statements captured by outlets ranging from Reuters to TIME and ABC7 Los Angeles [6] [3] [2].
2. Administration policy moves that match the rhetoric
The rhetoric is reinforced by administrative shifts: the Justice Department under Trump has issued memos prioritizing denaturalization proceedings in certain cases, and USCIS and DHS officials have signaled more aggressive use of denaturalization as part of an immigration crackdown, sparking analyses that this is the largest denaturalization effort in modern memory [1] [7] [8].
3. What the law actually permits — and limits — a president’s power
U.S. law allows denaturalization of naturalized citizens in narrow circumstances — typically fraud in the naturalization process — but it must be pursued in federal court, carries a heavy burden of proof, and cannot be imposed unilaterally by the president; natural-born citizens (e.g., Rosie O’Donnell) cannot be stripped of citizenship except under extraordinary and legally contested conditions, and scholars point to Supreme Court limits placed on denaturalization to prevent political persecution [4] [5] [9].
4. Critics’ case: chilling effects, constitutional danger, and selective targeting
Civil-rights groups, legal advocates and commentators argue the administration’s posture treats citizenship as conditional, chilling naturalization, unfairly targeting foreign‑born communities such as Somali Americans, and weaponizing denaturalization based on contested evidence or old removal orders — a move the ACLU and immigrant-rights organizations describe as systemic and chilling [10] [11] [8].
5. Defenders’ case: fraud, public-safety framing, and narrower claims
Supporters and some administration spokespeople frame the initiative as enforcing established law: denaturalization is a tool when someone procures citizenship by fraud or lies, and the administration says it will focus on those who “undermine domestic tranquility” or defraud citizens; agencies assert they will act “as permitted by law and supported by evidence” [9] [1] [7].
6. Bottom line — threat vs. actionable power
The factual record shows clear, repeated threats by Trump to strip citizenship from certain Americans — especially naturalized immigrants accused of fraud — and parallel policy steps to pursue denaturalization [1] [6] [7]; however, those threats overstate what a president can do alone and understate constitutional and judicial protections: denaturalization remains a court-governed, evidence-intensive process, and legal experts say broad, politically motivated revocations would face steep constitutional and procedural obstacles [4] [5].