Claim:
Donald Trump said he “doesn’t know” if he must uphold the U.S. Constitution.
❌ Verdict: False, misleading and out of context
What Happened
In a recent Meet the Press interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker, Donald Trump was asked whether, even in the face of political efforts to slow down enforcement of immigration law, he must still uphold the Constitution.
Some of the resulting headlines included:
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MSNBC: Trump doesn’t know if he has to uphold the Constitution
- NPR: Does a president need to uphold the Constitution? Trump says ‘I don’t know’
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HuffPost: Trump Says He Doesn’t Know If He’s Required To Uphold Constitution
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NBC News: Trump, asked if he has to ‘uphold the Constitution,’ says, ‘I don’t know’
- The Guardian: Trump says he doesn’t know if he needs to uphold constitutional due process
These headlines strip context and push a false narrative. Their intention is to manipulate their readers
What Trump Actually Said:
When pressed on whether due process applies to undocumented immigrants (which it constitutionally does), Trump expressed frustration about the political efforts that are creating roadblocks and slowing down immigration enforcement.
Here’s the full quote:
“I don’t know. It seems — it might say that, but if you’re talking about that, then we’d have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials… I was elected to get them the hell out of here, and the courts are holding me from doing it.”
When Welker followed up again, he said:
“I have brilliant lawyers that work for me, and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.”
He wasn’t rejecting the Constitution. He was saying his legal team will handle the legal boundaries, while expressing doubt about the feasibility of frivolous large-scale due process trials.
Why This Matters
Stripping down quotes like this for clicks and outrage is why public trust in media is collapsing.
According to Gallup, just 32% of Americans say they trust the mass media “a great deal” or “a fair amount.” Posts like these prove why.
Misleading headlines erode trust, polarize audiences, and spread misinformation—ironically, under the banner of “fact-based reporting.”
Conclusion:
Trump’s full quote shows he defers to legal counsel and acknowledges constitutional limits, even if he is frustrated with how it is being politically used to slow down enforcement.
Media outlets that isolate “I don’t know” to imply disregard for the Constitution are not informing the public—they’re manipulating them.
Fact check your headlines.
