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.
Viewpoints
Opinion
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
Rob Natelson
Author
Robert G. Natelson is a former constitutional law professor and senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at the Independence Institute in Denver. He is the author of “The Original Constitution: What It Actually Said and Meant” (4th ed. publication pending). He also is a contributor to the Heritage Foundation’s “Heritage Guide to the Constitution.”
Author’s Selected Articles
