Texas Sen. Ted Cruz believes the location of his birth should not be a topic of discussion on the presidential campaign trail. Donald Trump, who trails Cruz in Iowa polling, has raised the issue of Cruz’s birth as a cause for caution surrounding support for the Texas senator.
In an interview with CNN, Cruz explained that he believes the location of his birth should not function as an impediment to his presidential aspirations.
“Oh look, the legal issue is straightforward. The son of a U.S. citizen born abroad is a natural born citizen,” Cruz said, before CNN personality Dana Bash interrupted.
“But it’s never been tested, you know full well because you’ve done it on other issues,” Bash said.
“Listen, the Constitution and laws of the United States are straightforward,” Cruz replied. “The very first Congress defined the child of a U.S. citizen born abroad as a citizen. And by the way, many of those members of the first Congress were framers at the Constitutional Convention. At the end of the day, this is a non-issue.”
Cruz continued to argue that there are other more serious issues facing the country, including North Korea’s overnight test of a nuclear weapon. But the issue of his birth was also raised at a White House press conference, where Obama spokesman Josh Earnest talked about Cruz’s birthplace.
“Look I, it would be quite ironic if, after seven or eight years of drama on the president’s birth certificate, if Republican primary voters were to choose Sen. Cruz as their nominee — somebody who actually wasn’t born in the United States and only 18 months ago renounced his Canadian citizenship,” Earnest said with a wide smile.
When a reporter began to ask whether Earnest was questioning Cruz’s ability to hold higher office, Earnest stopped the question mid-sentence with a smile and a wave of the hand as the reporter moved onto another question.
Cruz has repeatedly answered questions about his birthplace throughout the day on the campaign trail in Iowa and insisted to CNN that he never owned a Canadian passport. He ranks first in the Washington Examiner‘s newest GOP presidential power rankings.
