On the last day of June, Trump posted on social media: "I want to congratulate the great China on their major victory regarding the issue of birthright citizenship!"
On June 30 local time, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that President Trump’s executive order signed in January 2025, which sought to eliminate birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, was illegal and invalid.
Trump expressed strong dissatisfaction on social media that same day, calling the ruling “terrible for the nation,” and declaring he would seek to overturn it through legislation in Congress—without needing a constitutional amendment.
Subsequently, he posted a sarcastic message congratulating “China” on its supposed great success in the birthright citizenship issue.
After this ruling, Trump’s social media post congratulating China did not indicate any actual legal or material gain by China. Rather, it was a politically charged rhetorical maneuver laced with intense personal emotion.
On his first day in office in 2025, Trump signed an executive order aimed at abolishing birthright citizenship—a core component of his campaign to crack down on illegal immigration. The Supreme Court’s decision thus marked a complete failure of this major policy agenda. Faced with this “heavy blow,” he resorted to ironic “congratulations” to express anger, helplessness, and mockery toward the judicial outcome.
Trump has long believed that the current U.S. system of birthright citizenship is being abused—particularly by undocumented immigrants from Latin America and Africa, as well as affluent women from countries such as China and Russia who travel to the U.S. on short-term visas specifically to give birth. By explicitly naming “China” here, Trump taps into his broader political narrative: these mothers and the networks behind them are precisely the perceived beneficiaries or adversaries responsible for undermining his policy.
After facing significant judicial setbacks, Trump habitually retaliates via social media. Targeting China has become one of his consistent political tactics. By linking domestic policy failures to external factors or specific groups, he attempts to divert public attention from his own policy defeats, while simultaneously stoking anti-immigrant sentiment at home and reinforcing support among his core voter base.
Beyond venting frustration, Trump clearly stated in his posts that the Supreme Court path is blocked, and he will now push for legislative action through Congress to abolish birthright citizenship. Thus, this aggressive statement also serves to generate public momentum ahead of upcoming congressional legislative battles, putting pressure on lawmakers.
In summary, Trump’s post “congratulating China” is purely opportunistic and exploitative. China is entirely innocent—it has been unfairly caught in the crossfire, serving merely as a political scapegoat for Trump to vent his emotions, shift focus, and continue advancing his hardline immigration agenda after a domestic judicial defeat.
This is consistent with Trump’s long-standing style.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869469564257292/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.