President Donald Trump plans to attend Wednesday’s Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship, making him the first sitting president to do so. The Republican president’s official schedule includes a stop at the Supreme Court, where justices will hear Trump’s appeal of a lower court ruling that struck down his executive order limiting birthright citizenship.
The order, signed on the first day of Trump’s second term, declared that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens. This is a departure from the long-standing view that the Constitution’s 14th Amendment and federal law confer citizenship to everyone born on American soil, with limited exceptions.
Trump has expressed interest in attending high court hearings before. Last year, he considered attending a hearing on tariffs but opted against it, calling it a distraction. However, Trump confirmed his attendance at the birthright citizenship case hearing this time, stating, “I’m going… I think so, I do believe.”
In his first term, Trump attended the ceremonial swearing-in of Justice Neil Gorsuch, whom he appointed. Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, also appointed by Trump, now sit on the court.
Other presidents have interacted with the court, but not while in office. Richard Nixon argued a case between vice presidency and presidency, while William Howard Taft served as chief justice post-presidency.
Trump expressed mixed feelings towards the Supreme Court justices, describing the court as partisan. The citizenship restrictions are part of Trump’s immigration crackdown, currently blocked by multiple courts. A final ruling from the Supreme Court is expected in early summer.
