"We're the only country in the world where a person comes in, has a baby, and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States for 85 years with all of those benefits," Mr Trump said to ‘Axios on HBO’, a documentary series, clips of which have been released. "It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. And it has to end,” he said.
It is factually incorrect that the U.S. is the only country in the world with birthright citizenship laws, although only a minority have such laws.
Mr. Trump said he has consulted his counsel on this and plans to proceed with the executive order, which is almost certain to face legal challenges – as have his executive orders banning the entry into the U.S. of citizens from certain Muslim majority countries. It is by no means clear that the president has the legal authority to effect such a broad legal change through an executive order.