This week, Donald Trump made a bold move by signing an executive order that aims to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. But CNN’s senior data reporter Harry Enten suggests that this decision might cut Trump’s “honeymoon period” short, just like it did back in 2017.
What’s the Issue?
Trump’s order, signed on his first day back in office, is stirring up a lot of controversy. Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and many Democratic-led states are already taking legal action against the decision.
A Policy That’s Not Gaining Popularity
Enten points out that the public isn’t exactly on board with this policy. In fact, polling data shows that only 35% of people support ending birthright citizenship, while 53% oppose it. That’s a pretty big gap. And when Enten dug deeper into the numbers, he found that the opposition might even be a little higher than those numbers suggest.
“This is just not a popular policy,” Enten said. “If Trump keeps pushing moves like this, his honeymoon period will be over before it even starts.”
Consistent Disapproval
For years now, support for ending birthright citizenship has stayed pretty steady at around 30-35% in polls. And it’s not just one poll – this trend has remained consistent across various surveys, no matter who’s in power.
“You don’t often see this kind of consistency in poll results,” Enten explained. “But with this issue, about a third of Americans have been supporting it, and that number hasn’t really budged.”
The GOP Base Isn’t Happy, Either
Even within Trump’s own Republican base, the support for this policy isn’t strong. Enten mentioned that a large portion of Trump’s supporters might “abandon” him on this issue, which could hurt his overall appeal.
What Would Be More Popular?
Enten suggests that Trump would be much better off focusing on policies that have broader public support, like lowering taxes or cracking down on immigrants who are here illegally and have committed crimes. Those issues tend to get more positive feedback, and would likely keep his popularity intact.
In short, ending birthright citizenship isn’t just an unpopular move—it could also cost Trump the support he has from both the public and his party.
