Congrats Xi Jinping: Trump jabs at Supreme Court after birthright citizenship blow

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday took a swipe at the US Supreme Court after it struck down his executive order restricting birthright citizenship, sarcastically congratulating Chinese President Xi Jinping while renewing his call for Congress to end the long-standing constitutional guarantee through legislation.

The remarks came hours after the Supreme Court dealt Trump another major legal setback, ruling that his attempt to deny automatic citizenship to certain children born in the United States violated the Constitution's 14th Amendment.

"I would like to congratulate President Xi, and the Great Country of China, on their massive Birthright Citizenship WIN!" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, suggesting that the ruling would benefit foreign nationals.

TRUMP TURNS TO CONGRESS

Earlier in the day, Trump vowed to continue the fight through Congress rather than the courts.

"The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process," Trump wrote.

"No long and unwieldy Constitutional Amendment is necessary! Congress should start TODAY to work on ending expensive and unfair to our Country, Birthright Citizenship. They will have my Complete and Total Support!"

The US President has repeatedly argued that automatic citizenship for nearly everyone born in the United States encourages illegal immigration and so-called "birth tourism."

SUPREME COURT REAFFIRMS 14TH AMENDMENT

In a 6-3 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court rejected Trump's executive order and reaffirmed the long-standing interpretation of the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment.

The order, signed on Trump's first day back in office, sought to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the United States unless at least one parent was an American citizen or lawful permanent resident.

The justices upheld lower court rulings that had blocked the directive from taking effect.

Roberts was joined by fellow conservatives Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, along with the court's three liberal justices.

"Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights — to freely participate in our political community," Roberts wrote.

"We keep that promise today."

Roberts also dismissed the administration's argument that the phrase "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" should exclude children born to undocumented immigrants or temporary visa holders.

"There was scant evidence" to support what he described as the administration's "dramatically revisionist view" of the Constitution.

The court relied heavily on its landmark 1898 ruling in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which established that nearly all children born on American soil automatically become US citizens, regardless of their parents' nationality.

"Not surprisingly, then, in the 128 years since, we have repeatedly understood the rule of Wong Kim Ark to guarantee citizenship to all children born in the United States and subject to its power," Roberts wrote. "We see no reason to depart from that view today."

The administration had argued that the earlier decision applied only because Wong Kim Ark's parents had permanent residence in the United States, an interpretation the court rejected.

MAJOR BLOW TO TRUMP'S AGENDA

The ruling is yet another significant judicial setback for Trump's second-term agenda to tighten immigration controls by challenging "anchor baby" policies and limiting citizenship pathways for the children of non-citizens and undocumented immigrants, a cornerstone promise from his campaign that aimed to reshape the nation's demographic landscape through executive action.

It follows the Supreme Court's decision earlier this year striking down his sweeping global tariff policy and Monday's ruling blocking his attempt to immediately remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

The birthright citizenship case attracted national attention because it tested one of the oldest constitutional protections in American law. The 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868 after the Civil War, guarantees citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof."

For more than 150 years, courts have interpreted that language to cover nearly every child born in the country, with narrow exceptions for children of foreign diplomats and enemy occupying forces.

- Ends

With inputs from agencies