Trump official gets fact-checked over citizenship claim: ‘You sure about that?’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio found himself facing a major pushback this week after declaring that “American citizenship is not for sale.” Critics were quick to point out a contradiction, effectively pulling a political trump card on the administration.

The Birth Tourism Debate

Rubio took to X to rail against the concept of “birth tourism,” labeling it a form of exploitation. In his post on X, he stated, “American citizenship is not for sale. But elaborate birth tourism rings are profiting off the exploitation of America’s laws—coaching foreigners to defraud the U.S. visa system, arranging travel and housing, and even forging documents, all to enable foreign nationals to obtain citizenship for their children.”

He further noted that the State Department has launched a Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force, which he claims has revoked over 600 visas in its first month of operation.

Critics Counter with the Gold Card

The secretary’s firm stance was immediately challenged by critics who highlighted the Trump Gold Card program. The initiative offers a pathway to U.S. residency—and eventually citizenship—for those who pay a $15,000 processing fee and a $1 million contribution.

A community note on X added fuel to the fire, stating, “While [Rubio’s] post states ‘American citizenship is not for sale,’ the U.S. government offers the ‘Gold Card’ program. Under Executive Order 14351, foreign nationals can obtain U.S. residency and a pathway to citizenship for a $1 million to $2 million gift.”

Political Firestorm

The backlash was swift across the political spectrum. The press office for California Governor Gavin Newsom replied to Rubio with a simple question: “You sure about that?” accompanied by a screenshot of the Gold Card.

Progressive influencer Alex Cole chimed in by stating it is “literally for sale,” while former Republican strategist and administration critic Rick Wilson similarly remarked, “Citizenship is quite literally for sale.”