What Does the Constitution Mean by ‘Natural Born Citizen’?

The Constitution says that only a “natural born citizen” may be president. Political partisans usually define “natural born” to suit themselves.

People hold U.S. flags while attending their Naturalization Oath ceremony for U.S. citizenship in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 25, 2022. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

The Constitution says that only a “natural born citizen” may be president. Throughout history, political partisans have accused opposing candidates of not being “natural born citizens” and thus disqualified.