NBC News found itself under fire after Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, accused the network of selectively omitting a key part of the 14th Amendment during an interview with President-elect Donald Trump. The controversy arose during Trump’s Sunday appearance on Meet the Press, where he discussed his plan to end birthright citizenship—a cornerstone of his administration’s immigration agenda.
The interview, conducted by NBC’s Kristen Welker, delved into various policy goals Trump intends to pursue, with a particular focus on immigration. Trump’s proposal to end birthright citizenship, a policy granting automatic U.S. citizenship to anyone born on American soil regardless of parental status, was a prominent topic.
During the discussion, Trump made his position clear, calling birthright citizenship “ridiculous” and vowing to address it immediately upon taking office.
“It’s going to end. It has to end,” Trump stated. He reiterated that ending the practice would be a priority starting “on Day One” of his presidency, underscoring his commitment to reshaping U.S. immigration policy.
Welker challenged Trump on the feasibility of his plan, citing the 14th Amendment. She summarized its language, stating, “The 14th Amendment says all persons born in the United States are citizens.” She then questioned whether Trump could circumvent the constitutional provision through executive action.
In response, Trump remained resolute. “We’re the only country that has this. It’s costing us dearly, and I’m open to using executive authority to stop it,” he said.
Hours after the interview aired, Sen. Mike Lee took to X (formerly Twitter) to critique NBC’s handling of the 14th Amendment. He accused Welker of leaving out a critical component of the Amendment’s text, which he argued fundamentally changes its interpretation.
Lee highlighted the omission of the phrase “and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” which he described as essential to understanding the scope of birthright citizenship.
Quoting the full relevant section, Lee tweeted, “All persons born … in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, shall be citizens of the United States.” He emphasized the omitted words with asterisks, arguing that they are critical in legal debates over citizenship and immigration.
“Those words matter,” Lee wrote, underscoring his view that omitting them distorts the discussion and potentially misleads viewers.
The six omitted words—“and subject to the jurisdiction thereof”—have been a focal point of debate in discussions about birthright citizenship. Legal scholars and policymakers argue over their precise meaning and application.
Some interpret the clause narrowly, suggesting it excludes children born to non-citizens or individuals not fully subject to U.S. laws, such as diplomats or foreign nationals temporarily in the country. Others, however, maintain a broader interpretation, asserting that the clause applies to nearly everyone born on U.S. soil.
Trump’s administration has long argued for the narrower interpretation, viewing the provision as a legal avenue to restrict automatic citizenship.
Lee’s critique quickly gained traction, with many supporters accusing NBC of deliberately misrepresenting the 14th Amendment to undermine Trump’s policy agenda. The phrase’s omission was labeled by critics as a form of bias, intended to frame Trump’s proposal as unconstitutional or extreme.
Conservative commentators echoed Lee’s sentiments, accusing NBC of selective editing to bolster its position. “This isn’t journalism—it’s advocacy,” one commentator wrote.
However, NBC defended its reporting, with a spokesperson stating that Welker’s summary reflected a widely accepted understanding of the 14th Amendment. They emphasized that the interview allowed Trump to articulate his stance and offered viewers context for a complex issue.
The controversy underscores the contentious nature of birthright citizenship in American politics. Advocates for ending the practice argue it incentivizes illegal immigration and strains public resources, while opponents contend that it is a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution.
Trump’s plan to address birthright citizenship, likely through an executive order or new legislation, is expected to face significant legal challenges. Many experts believe such an effort would require a constitutional amendment or a Supreme Court ruling to reinterpret the 14th Amendment.
For Sen. Lee and others, the incident highlights what they see as a broader issue of media bias in political reporting. By selectively presenting information, Lee argued, the media can skew public perception of important policy debates.
As Trump prepares to take office, the clash over birthright citizenship is likely to remain a prominent battleground, with both sides marshaling legal, historical, and constitutional arguments.
The omission controversy, however, raises a broader question: Can the media fairly present contentious legal and political issues without influencing the public debate?
For now, the public remains divided, with strong opinions on both sides of the birthright citizenship debate—and the role of the media in shaping it.
I watched that interview and it was a disgrace. She acted more like a news conference than an interview. The interruptions and elitist attitude was abhorrent. But thank goodness President Trump knows how to deal with hacks, he never ceded any of his vies ort plans for our country. She made a fool of herself and he stood for the truth. God bless him. And no, I couldn’t watch the hack panel afterwards.
Living Up to Its Label!-Fabricated Bull Dung Propaganda Machine!-What it Is and What it Does!-And Why It Is Becoming Extinct!
Before anyone in the lieing, dividing, Pro Communist MSM opens their mouth it should be mandatory they be educated on the Constitution, and what it means.
Like the hateful Anti-American Communist bitches on the Veiw who think they know everything they should shutdown for spewing propaganda to the American Citizens.
Allen Dersherwits is highly educated in the Constitution and he should be teaching the Communist Idiots on the subject.
TaaRump …STILL does not understand the US Constitution.
He does more over than the Communist Democrats do as they’ve violated it in so many ways.
you do not understand as well. go away.
What a flaming moron you are. Explain the 14th Amendment please, we are all waiting.
Why should anyone be surprised? That’s what the media and left does. They lie, cheat, fabricate and edit to foster their inane agenda that does not benefit Americans. That’s what they’ve done for decades and that’s what they’ll do moving forward.
Sometime in the first third to half of the 19th Century, the SUPREME COURT already ruled upon citizenship. In order for BIRTHRIGHT to exist the parent(s) and the government must BOTH have been in agreement BEFORE the birth, that the residency was intended to be permanent.
This means that ANY person who comes to the USA temporarily can not birth a citizen, it also means that if the immigration process is not complete and full rights to stay are awarded, that there is no citizenship. This affects MILLIONS of people who believe they are US citizens but are NOT.
The fact I haven’t a dog in the fight has I’m British. The question that needs to be understood, if someone brakes the law by entering a country, then think it would be some kind of benefit to them, by having a child born in that country, would make that child a USA citizen, this would be a gain by braking the laws of the county they entered. They say crime doesn’t pay, but if this situation is kept in place, then crime would absolutely pay, therefore the caravans of illegals, would not on carry on be would increase in numbers. we have a similar problem in the UK, with thousands washing up on our shores every week, just like your politicians, ours have no clue how they can stop it, these politicians are born with no backbone, untill President Trump was voted back into the White House. the people have spoken with their vote, now the British need to do exactly the same and put Nigel Farage in number 10, showing the door to the communist Starmer, he’s trying to cancel the next local elections, because he’s polling numbers are so low, is that a Dictator?
The Communist Propaganda oulets are not capable of reporting true news,just propaganda
The Communist Propaganda of today are all in for the American Communist Party formerly Democrats