It started with a court case.
It ended with a former U.S. president calling his own nation “stupid.”
Donald Trump unleashed a torrent of rage this week over a controversial citizenship ruling involving an undocumented immigrant granted asylum under humanitarian grounds. But it was his language—not the legal details—that lit up every news cycle in the country.
“We’ve become a stupid country,” Trump declared during a campaign rally in Michigan, his voice rising above roaring applause. “We let everyone in. We let in criminals. We give them citizenship. We reward them for breaking our laws.”
A clip of the moment, shared by Right Side Broadcasting, instantly went viral—racking up more than 25 million views within 12 hours and sparking bipartisan backlash.
The case at the center of his fury involves a 23-year-old Honduran woman who was granted U.S. citizenship last week after a judge ruled her life would be in danger if deported. The decision was made under the Convention Against Torture—a clause often cited in extreme asylum cases.
But to Trump, it was another sign of what he’s branded as “Democrat-driven lawlessness.”
“They’re handing out passports like candy,” he shouted. “This woman crossed illegally, had no documentation, and now she gets a blue passport? That’s insanity.”
Fox News aired the speech in full, though some anchors expressed discomfort at the “stupid country” phrasing.
The fallout was immediate.
Senator John Fetterman tweeted: “You can criticize policy without trashing your own country. Disgraceful.”
Others went further.
CNN analyst Van Jones called the speech “textbook nativism,” adding during a segment on AC360, “It’s not just about immigration anymore. It’s about whether this man believes in the country he wants to lead.”
But Trump’s base cheered it on.
“You damn right it’s stupid,” wrote one commenter under a viral clip posted by @TrumpWarRoom. “He says what we all think.”
Trump’s team doubled down on the message, with spokesperson Liz Harrington issuing a follow-up tweet: “What’s truly stupid is a system that punishes hard-working Americans while rewarding illegal behavior.” That post was retweeted nearly 40,000 times in 3 hours.
Even Elon Musk weighed in, posting a cryptic meme that read: “America, the only country where ‘illegal’ means VIP.”
The controversy has now placed pressure on the Biden administration to clarify its stance on humanitarian asylum.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement: “We do not hand out citizenship. Every case is reviewed. Every case must meet the law.”
Still, the perception battle rages on.
The Hill reports that immigration-related disapproval has hit a new high among independent voters, and Trump’s team is reportedly planning a new ad campaign built entirely around the Michigan clip.
“He knows how to weaponize outrage,” said political strategist Ana Navarro. “And this was a Molotov cocktail of outrage.”
Behind the legal rhetoric, what remains is the raw message: a former president declaring the country he once led—one he hopes to lead again—is stupid.
Whether voters see that as truth-telling or treason could define 2024.
