Harry Reid skewers Trump for digging up his old views on citizenship


Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid doesn't want any part of President Trump's campaign against birthright citizenship.
On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted that Reid used to oppose guaranteeing citizenship to all those born on U.S. soil "before he and the Democrats went insane." He later backed it up with a 1993 clip of Reid, then a Nevada Democrat, telling the Senate how "no sane country" would offer birthright citizenship as "a reward for being an illegal immigrant."
The shout-out prompted Reid to come out of retirement, if only for one brief statement. He called his 1993 bill to end birthright citizenship a "mistake," just like how Trump "was gobbling up tax-free inheritance money" at the same time. Reid then called Trump out for wanting to "stoke fear instead of unify" the country, and finished by saying the president is "profoundly wrong" in assuming how Reid really feels.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump publicized his proposed change to citizenship laws on Tuesday, asserting he didn't need a constitutional amendment to amend the interpretation of the Constitution. Legal scholars, many Republicans, and even House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) disagree.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal